Phoenix Rising
by maxigrumpling
Summary: Sequel to Cullen's Pride. Jacob Black took Bella Swan's life and humanity. She wakes to a new kind of life and a new fear. With a new threat looming, from her own kind no less, Can Edward keep her safe this time? Edw/Bella   eventual Renesmee
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is the sequel to Cullen's Pride (Please see my profile page to read this fic first.) **

**Stephanie Meyer owns all things twilight, I am just lucky enough to get to mess with them. **

**Thank you for reading, I hope you find something of interest in my story. **

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_At the end of Cullen's Pride Jacob Black hurt Bella Swan, her Father, Charlie Swan watched it happen. She was taken inside the Cullen house and changed by Carlisle Cullen. This story picks up after Edward Cullen destroyed Jacob Black, infront of his passive wolf pack. _

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Chapter 1 - Black

**EPOV**

Several things happened at the same time as I threw the carcass off myself and onto the grass.

One – Jacob Blacks body returned to its human form as his heart took it's last beat.

Two – An almighty howl rent the air around my home as six massive wolves stood at their full height and gave voice to my victory.

Three – Charlie Swan screamed my name then feinted.

And four – Bella began her change.

I could do nothing for Charlie that Esme and the others wouldn't already be doing and while I desperately wanted to be with Bella now, I looked around the makeshift circle and stood to face the wolves.

I wiped what was left of Jacob Black off my lips and straightened my shirt. I had tufts of fur clinging to my jeans and mud and grass stuck to my boots but not a drop of blood on me anywhere. Clean kill Cullen, I thought proudly.

I turned to each of the wolves and lowered my head as a measure of respect, never forgetting that they had just lost a brother, a leader and a tribe member. It may have been the answer to their problem, but it was still a loss they would suffer as a pack.

I located Sam and moved to stand before him. "I wish to convey the Cullen clans deepest sympathies for the loss you have suffered today, at my hand. I may understand your wish to remove him as Alpha but, I also understand your loss." I bowed my head as he dipped his towards his gigantic paws on the gravel driveway.

"_Thank you Edward Cullen. We will remove ourselves to the forest now. We will return to this place as humans, soon, to collect our dead and take him home. Do I have your word we will be safe to do so?" _Sam asked.

"You have my word. We have never wished you harm." I nodded as he turned and led his pack into the forest.

"_And Seth will be safe here until we return for him?" _Sam stared into my eyes over his shoulder as I nodded, "_Go Edward Cullen. Be with your woman now." _Then Sam gave me one last as he hit the trees running.

I spared no thought or look for the body of the boy as I turned on my heel and went into my house to survey the damage today had done to us all.

My first priority was always going to be Bella. I needed to see her, feel her to make sure she was still with me, at least in some form. I repressed all the mental voices in the house as best I could and avoided the looks of sympathy and pity from my family and our two guests and stalked through the living room into the dining room.

My beautiful Bella was now dressed in a plain white smock dress and lying full out on the dining room table. Carlisle sat beside her with her hand in his. He had his head bowed onto the table beside her and he was quietly chanting his prayers.

I put my hand on his shoulder and he whispered how sorry he was to me as I sat in the chair beside him.

"We'll talk about it later Carlisle. What's done is done. I'd have done the same and I wouldn't have cared what you wanted either. Thank you for saving her, for me." I made particular care to emphasize the 'for me' and Carlisle lifted his head from the table and stared into my eyes.

"_Thank you Edward."_ He thought as he rose from the chair and left me with her.

"Will you come back in a few minutes please Carlisle? I can't stay here right now, I have much to do, especially for Charlie, but I don't want her left alone." I said, my head bowed onto her arm. It was still warm.

"_Of course, we won't leave her alone. I'll be back." _He left the room and I heard him fall into Esme's arms in the kitchen a few seconds later.

I traced my finger up Bella's arm and down to her wrist, I took a long hard pull at the last vestiges of her human scent. It was clouded by the morphine and the acidic hint of venom now and I knew her potent essence was lost to me forever. Another would replace it, a less striking scent, that I would grow to love, but I silently mourned the loss of the only human scent I'd ever truly loved.

She lay perfectly still with her eyes closed. I hoped that she wasn't in any pain but knew that it would come, soon, nonetheless. Her breathing was already shallow though how much of that could be attributed to the venom now fighting with her blood, or the paralysis, I couldn't be sure.

I stood over her and spent a few quiet moments watching her breath peacefully. I bent my head and kissed her plump lips and murmured how much I loved her.

I took her left hand in mine and removed the brace and threw it to the floor, she wouldn't need that again. She'd quite obviously broken her hand again before I had arrived today but the bones were already healing under my fingers, so I kissed her palm and turned her engagement ring in my fingers.

"Edward, I'll sit with her, you need to go to Charlie now. He's awake and very distressed. I won't leave her, I promise." Carlisle put his hand on my shoulder and I passed her hand from mine to his. I took one last glance at her and went to find Charlie.

CPOV

I woke up in a huge bed in a room I didn't recognize. I rubbed my eyes and rubbed the back of my neck and winced as the headache came to my forehead.

Where the fuck was I now?

I remembered screaming for Edward to do something for Bella but then everything had gone black. Now I was here, on my own by the looks of things.

I sat up and swung my legs over the side of the bed. I looked around the room and took it all in. The full-length windows that overlooked the river. The gold carpet, the matching bedclothes. A desk with a computer and a cell phone sitting on it. A lock box with its lid flipped open and its keys beside it. There was a wall completely taken up with stereo equipment and Cd's, hundreds, probably thousands of them. A fireplace with the remnants of a recent fire. Two closet doors stood open and row after row of suits and shirts hung there. This was a mans room.

I looked at the bedside table and the clock said it was 3pm. I'd been out of it for probably an hour. Huh.

Beside the clock was a small silver photo frame, in it was a picture of Edward and Bella the night of the dance. This was Edward's room. As I looked around again I could see that it was. His shoes sat on the floor at the foot of the bed with hers beside them, lined up, like they belonged there. Her book bag was lying on the sofa by the windows with his. Her cell phone sat beside it, the light flicking on and off, she had a message. A pile of her clothes was neatly folded beside her bag and my heart clenched. My little girl stayed here, in this room, with Edward. I had denied it many times in my head but now I was faced with the truth of it. When she was here, with the Cullen's, Bella lived here, with Edward. Together.

I always thought that would cause me pain, real physical pain and that I'd want to kill the bastard who took her from me. But it didn't. It might have yesterday, but not today.

This is what Bella wanted, he's who she wanted. I couldn't be angry at that. He was a good kid. I knew he loved her too. But he wasn't a kid. I didn't know what he was exactly but he wasn't a kid. I didn't want to see the images in my head again yet. Not yet.

I went through the open door into the bathroom and washed my face in the sink. I stood for a moment and took in my surroundings. Huge shower stall and a marble topped vanity. They had money, real money. He'd take care of her. She'd never want for anything, not things money could buy anyway. That made me feel good too. I could smell her shampoo and looked into the stall and saw a bottle of it on its end on the shelf there. My gut clenched thinking about her here in his shower but I let out a breath and calmed myself as best I could. She wasn't a kid anymore either. I was about to marry her mother at the same age and she was about to marry Edward. If she survived this would he still want to marry her? She'd be a cripple, I knew it the instant I heard her neck snap.

Oh god. My Bella. I let the tears come and I choked out a sob into a hand towel. Then I washed my face and went back into the bedroom.

I chanced a glance at the lock box on the desk. She'd been proud that she'd collected this box, Edward had called her brave for having it with her. It was obviously important to them both. I saw passports and birth certificates in it. One of which was Bella's. What the fuck? I had Bella's birth certificate. I knew Renee had a copy, but nobody should have this but us, surely?

I tipped the contents of the box out onto the desk and rummaged through it.

Four passports. Isabella Marie Cullen. Edward Anthony Cullen. Edward Anthony Masen. Bella Marie Masen. What the fuck was this?

The birth certificates looked real. They had seals and signatures and they were identical in everyway to each other except there were four of them all in the same names as the passports. There was a fifth one but it looked old, really old and really fragile. I opened it out carefully onto the table and smoothed out the creases. Edward Anthony Masen, Chicago 1901.

The mother listed was Elizabeth Masen, Chicago. The father Edward Anthony, Chicago. Same date registered, 1901.

It didn't make any sense.

I pushed the passports and birth certificates aside and picked up a roll of papers held with a rubber band. I flicked the band off and unrolled the papers. Deeds, title deeds to houses and commercial properties, all in Bella's name.

I threw them down and took an envelope off the desk and tipped it out. The jangle of keys and bankcards sounded against the timber of the desktop.

Car keys, Aston Martin key ring, Volvo key ring, Mercedes key ring. A set of keys with a tag named 'Denali'. And credit cards. Maybe ten of them. In various versions of Bella and Edward's names. All platinum. Under the stack of papers and cards was a small black satin pouch.

It tinkled when I shook it and I knew it had jewellery in it. I undid the satin band and tipped it all out into the palm of my hand.

Two plain gold wedding bands, one thick one thin. A large heart shaped diamond, on its own, not set. Several thick rope chains, a brooch with a pearl set in the centre and a pair of sapphire earrings.

**EPOV**

"They were my mothers. They'll all be Bella's after we're married." I said it quietly, I didn't want to frighten him.

To his credit he didn't show his shock. He stood still and flipped the jewellery in his hand a few times before asking, "Is she alive?"

"Yes." I replied. It was true. For now she was alive as he knew it.

"Will you still marry her, even after…" his voice broke on the last syllable and I drew in a breath at the depth of his pain.

"Definitely. No question." I wanted him to know, even though he didn't know yet that she would be perfectly fine at some point, that it didn't matter to me that she had been paralyzed.

He didn't say anything, he just nodded to himself and I saw his shoulders relax. To him, right now, this was good news.

"Are you ok Chief Swan, is there anything I can do for you?" I asked.

"I think we can dispense with the Chief Swan now, don't you? Charlie, I'm just Charlie." He let the jewellery fall back into the box and he turned towards me. He walked to where I was standing in the doorway to my room and held out his hand as if to shake mine. "I'm Charlie Swan. Who the fuck are you?"

I nodded my head in understanding and reached forward and took his trembling hand in mine. For the first time ever his brain registered the coldness of my skin. "Hello Charlie Swan. I am Edward Anthony Masen Cullen. And I'm a vampire."

Jasper was right, heart of a lion. To his credit his flinch was minimal. He kept hold of my hand as we shook them and then let his hand fall back to his side as he stood in front of me.

"Right." Like daughter like father it seemed.

"I am sure you have questions Charlie, and I am here to answer them, I gave you my word that I would. I didn't ever consider it would be this soon that I would be talking to you about this, and we do have a few days if you wish to rest first." I wanted to give him all the same options Bella had had when I'd first told her.

"Did you kill Jacob Black out there, just now?" He pointed out the door.

"Yes." I wondered if the policeman in him was about to rise to the fore.

"Good." His mental thoughts were cursing Jacob right now and I could identify with his residual anger. My shame was yet to find me regarding what I'd just done, I knew it would, but as yet I could not bring myself to rationalize it any other way than it being in defense of this mans daughter.

"I'm so sorry Charlie." I hung my head low and thought about how I'd failed her so miserably.

He closed the space between us and put his hand on my shoulder. It was I who tried now, tried desperately hard, not to flinch at his touch. It was such a human thing to do, for him to comfort me.

"What are you sorry for, son?" He asked in a soft voice.

"I failed her, you. I promised you both I'd protect her." I choked it out between my fast closing throat.

"Look, son. I have no fucking idea what any of what I just saw means, but I'm pretty sure I'd have had no chance to do what you just did. I've been in a shit load of hostage situations and I've seen a lot of bad shit happen. I know there was no way to prevent what he did to her. She's alive, we have to be grateful for that now. You didn't fail her at all." He squeezed his hand tighter on my shoulder and I heard his breath hitch as he cried.

"Charlie, if I told you there was something we could do for Bella, to make her whole again, a chance to live a long…life…but that that something came at a price, would you still want me to do it?" I chose my words very carefully. I knew he had no idea what I meant, I could see it in his head that he still hadn't fully grasped what I was. As yet the idea that I could make Bella like me hadn't come to him. I knew it would, and I wanted to put the suggestion subtly into his brain so the shock of what Carlisle had done wouldn't cause him too much pain.

I stepped back from him and moved towards the sofa under the windows. I moved Bella's bag and clothes and put them on my bed. I put her cell phone in my pocket and patted it lovingly. Charlie watched me do it and he thought how sweet it was that I'd want to keep it near me. I motioned towards the sofa and he walked to it and sat on the edge. I pulled the chair out from under my desk and pulled it over to face the sofa, then sat in it.

He was still considering what I'd said but had come to no conclusion as yet. So I waited.

"Will it make her able to protect herself better, from now on, this thing you could do?" He asked gingerly. He was starting to comprehend where I was leading him and panic and sadness were going to soon overtake his brain.

"Yes. She will be strong Charlie. Very strong. Strong like me. Like Alice and Esme and Rose." His eyes flew open and he looked me straight in the eye.

"You could do that for her? Make her like you? So things, those things out there, couldn't hurt her again?" He pleaded.

"Yes Charlie."

"Why haven't you done it then? Go now, do it now. Make her strong, like you. Go. Don't sit here, go." He screeched at me. He stood and it was obvious he wanted to go downstairs right now and make me do it. I sat very still, kept my human posture as best I could, my face impassive against his rising panic and fury.

"It's done Charlie." I whispered into his red face.

I knew he didn't understand most of it, he didn't know the price she'd have to pay. The price we'd all have to pay. He didn't know what we'd condemned her to. What we'd just taken from her. All he knew was that she'd be here, at least, and she'd be strong. For now that's all he needed to know.

**CPOV**

I was sorry I'd lost my temper just then. He had to be hurting too. He loved her and he'd had to watch her break in front of his eyes too. But I couldn't help being angry that he was sitting here shooting shit with me when he could be downstairs making her whole again. I had no fucking idea how it was to be done and right now I didn't fucking care. I'd give anything, anything he cared to ask for, if he did it for her.

When he said it was already done I closed my eyes. Thank god. Thank god he'd had the good sense to help her first, then come to me.

"Can I see her now?" I wanted to see her, make sure she was alright.

"Of course. There is nothing to see yet though Charlie. She just looks like she is asleep. But that will change as the morphine wears off." He said it really quietly and I knew there was bad news attached to the statement.

"Why does she need morphine?"

"Charlie, let me take you to her. You can sit with her for a bit, hold her hand, she'd like that. Just be with her for a bit. The wolv…the native boys will be back in a few minutes to collect Jacob's body and to take Seth home. I need to speak with them. I give you my word we will speak more about what all this means for Bella, and for you, when that is done."

"The wolves are coming back here?" I could fee the bile rising in my throat again at the thought.

"Yes Charlie. Though they will return in their human form this time. They are no threat to us now. They never were really, only Jacob. They have a right to collect their dead Charlie. And Seth belongs there with them, for now."

"Right. Yeah. Of course. I'd like to see her, thanks." He stood and I followed him to the door. "Edward. Can I ask you something first?"

He stopped and turned to me and nodded like he knew what was coming.

"Does she know everything about you? All this I mean?" I swept my hand towards the desk and the papers there.

"Yes Charlie, I have no secrets from her. You can ask her yourself in a few days, but you need to know this is what she wanted." He said solemnly. For some reason I knew he meant it but at the same time I thought he might be sorry he did.

I let him led me out of the room and down a long corridor until we were standing on a high landing. As I went down the stairs I looked over the railing and I could see right down the centre of the house and into the living room and kitchen. Esme was washing dishes at the sink. A huge dark haired boy sat on a stool at the counter talking with a blonde haired boy. The one who had bought me inside? My Bella practically lived here and I didn't even know half their names.

Seth Clearwater was sitting on the end of a long white sofa with his head in his hands while Alice and the blonde girl patted his back. I didn't see Carlisle anywhere and I knew instinctively that he would be with my Bell's. He was a doctor, a good one by all accounts, he'd helped her.

As we came to the second floor landing I looked over the railing again. This time I saw them a little closer. They were all perfectly still. Apart from Alice who was rubbing Seth's back, they were all perfectly still, like marble statues.

I stumbled at the last step and Edward turned to put his hand on my arm to steady me.

"It's ok Charlie. Nobody here will harm you, ever. You're family." He whispered into my ear as he put me on my feet again.

"They're all, you're all…"I couldn't finish the sentence.

"Yes Charlie. We're all vampires." I winced, as he said what I couldn't. I kept my eyes on them as we went down the last flight of stairs and into the living room.

"Right, of course, sorry." I didn't mean to be rude or stupid about it. I just never twigged and now I felt stupid for some reason.

"Don't apologize, please. I've hated keeping it from you, Bella did too." He said as he ushered me past the piano and into the dining room.

Carlisle stood as soon as I went in and my eyes flew to the table. She looked so beautiful. For a moment I let myself believe that she was fine. That this hadn't happened. She was still, but breathing. So it was easy to let my mind deceive me into thinking it had all been an elaborate joke. Staged for my benefit.

The look on Carlisle's face told me different. He was in agony, real pain, because my daughter was hurt. They all hurt for it. They loved her too. Wow. I'd missed so much by not wanting to see.

**EPOV**

I winced as Charlie berated himself in his mind. He was being so very brave, like Bella had been, and I hated that he had to learn all this this way. I hadn't lied when I'd said I hated having kept it from him. I meant it.

"I'm so sorry Charlie." Carlisle reached out his hand and Charlie shook it, as he had done before when meeting Carlisle. Nothing had really changed for Charlie, he still respected and admired Carlisle as a man and a doctor. Nothing else registered for Charlie in that moment.

"Which one of you did it?" He asked. I looked to Carlisle and nodded that he should tell him the truth.

"I gave her my word a few days ago Charlie, that should something ever happen to her that I would do this for her, for them both. We all hoped it would never come to that. I'm sorry Charlie." He said it again and I waited while Charlie replayed what Carlisle had said in his mind. He seemed to understand that his was what Bella had asked for, what she wanted, what I wanted if the choice had to be made.

"Thank you for doing whatever it was you did. Can I sit with her? Can she hear me?" He asked Carlisle.

"Of course." Carlisle stepped aside and Charlie took her hand and looked at her engagement ring, then up at me, and then back to Bella. "She can hear you Charlie. Talk to her, it will help her. She's in no pain for now." He put his hand on Charlie's shoulder and then left the room.

I could hear the car arriving in the driveway so I reminded Charlie that I had to step outside for a moment but that I'd be back as soon as my business was concluded outside. He nodded but kept his thoughts for Bella.

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry I couldn't do anything. So sorry. It's ok now. You'll be strong soon they say. Edward won't let anything hurt you." I heard him tell her as I went into the yard to greet the now human wolves.

Sam, Jared, Paul and the one I knew to be Quill exited the battered station wagon and came to stand in front of me at the stairs. They had all changed into black jeans and each had a black shirt on, they were different but still very solemn.

Sam stepped forward and shook my hand. "We will take him now." He said and the three boys scooped up Jacob and put him in the back of the wagon. Jared got in with the body and cradled it in his lap. The other two boys got into the back seat and closed the doors.

"I am very sorry for your loss Sam." I said truthfully even though I knew it was at my hand that they had suffered it.

"Thank you Edward. He was a brother and up until a few months ago an honorable man." He hung his head low and I picked the sincerity of his thoughts from his mind. "I would like to speak with Seth for a moment please?" He asked.

"Yes of course." I went into the foyer and asked for Seth to please come outside. He walked towards me, still trembling. I put my hand on his shoulder and told him how proud of him I was that he protected Bella for me today. I told him that no matter what, he was welcome here and that if he ever needed anything to come straight to me. He nodded and went to stand beside Sam.

"Sam, I know it is none of my business but I would like to know what will become of Seth?" I was worried that he'd be subjected to the exile he was so deathly afraid of.

"He will be hailed a hero by the tribe and is to become my wingman as soon as the fever takes him over. Shouldn't be too much longer eh Seth, not with all that vampire stink on you!" He nudged Seth in the ribs and Seth whipped his head up and stared wide eyes and slack jawed at Sam. Sam nodded and Seth smiled.

"Thank you again Seth. I will look forward to watching your progression through the ranks." I said with real affection. He was a sweet boy and as brave as they came.

"Join the others please Seth" Sam asked. When the door to the wagon closed Sam continued, "I have relayed the outcome of today's events to the tribunal. The pack has agreed that you acted in self defense, despite our lack of involvement we have decided to stand united and not disclose what happened here other than to relay the death of the Alpha to the tribunal and the tribe. We'll be in touch soon with regard to what comes of it."

"Thank you Sam." I shook his hand and he drove off with his Alpha.

I could hear Charlie speaking softly to Bella still. Telling her how proud of her she was, how much he loved her. How he'd try to be brave and learn what all this meant so she'd never have to feel pain at hiding it ever again. My heart went out to him. He'd fade soon, from the shock and the pain and all the trauma he'd seen. We'd take care of him though. He was family.

Now I had to go and comfort my own family. I ran my hand through my hair and went back inside.

**BPOV**

Everything in my mind was black. The sounds I could hear, the quiet crying beside me, the crunch of gravel in the driveway, the howling of the wolves, all registered in my brain as black. The smell of this room was black, as was the tea Esme would make for my dad, the flowers in the vase that Carlisle had swept aside to lay me here, the ink of my tattoo, the timber of the table, it all smelled black. The ice cold fingers that held mine felt black. The locket around my neck and the rings on my fingers were black. My fingers felt black. The taste of the injection Carlisle had given me, the spit in my mouth, the fear I felt on my tongue, it was all black.

My new world was going to be black.

Jacob took my colours.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - Cold

**EPOV**

I needed to put the wheels in motion before I sought the rest of the family.

"May I use your study Carlisle?" He nodded and I went up to his office and shut the door.

I pulled Bella's cell phone from my pocket and scrolled her contacts list. I used the phone on Carlisle's desk to dial the number.

"Hello?" Came her girlish answer.

"Hello Renee, this is Edward Cullen calling."

"Hiya Edward. I hear congratulations are in order. Bella phoned me last night, I have to say I am a bit shocked. I'm glad you called though, I want to come and see you guys soon and I wondered…" I couldn't let her continue, I had to be brutal and just say it.

"Renee. Stop please. There has been an accident. I need you to come, now."

"What? What happened, where's Bella? Why isn't Charlie calling me? What happened? PHIL!" she screamed as the phone fell from her hands.

I waited, I knew that if she'd called for Bella's stepfather that he was at least in the house and he'd soon pick up the phone.

"Hello? Who's this?" He bellowed into the handset.

"Phil this is Edward. Renee, and you, need to come to Forks, now. There's been an accident, Bella will be fine but she needs her mother, now."

"Right. We'll come now. I'll call you from the airport." He said matter of factly. He sounded like a practical man.

"I've reserved two seats on the 7pm flight. They are in your names. I will personally collect you this end. Thank you Phil."

"Right. Thanks." The line went dead and I put the handset back in the cradle.

I couldn't bring myself to listen to the frantic messages we'd all left on Bella's phone this morning as we'd run towards the house, so I left her cell phone on Carlisle's desk and went downstairs.

Charlie was still talking softly to Bella as he sat at her side. Alice was preparing to take her turn with her, allowing Charlie to go and have a shower and something to eat now that it was getting later. Esme had prepared him a meal, so it was to Esme I went first.

She stepped into my arms as I rounded the corner into the kitchen.

"Thank you for everything Esme." I said into her hair as I hugged her.

"You are welcome Edward, of course. She'll be ok sweetheart, I know it. I'm so sorry it came to this." She was rubbing my back and she kissed my cheek and patted my hair as I let her go.

"I know. Me too." I stood at the counter and rested against it. "Are you alright?"

"Yes love. Are you? That couldn't have been easy?" She nodded towards the front door and I knew she meant what I'd done to Jacob.

"At the moment it feels like it was easy, but I'll wrestle with that later. For now though, I'm ok. Thanks." I blew out the breath I had been holding. "I think Seth will be ok too, in time."

"He's a good kid. I heard what Sam said, Seth will make a formidable wolf one day. Very brave. He protected Bella too, he tried to put himself in front of him here in the house you know?" She said and I watched as she replayed what had happened up until I arrived, in her mind.

"Thank you for sharing that Esme. I know how much it hurts you to relive it." I touched my hand to my heart and thought about the night Bella had done that with Esme, the night I'd cornered her into giving her answer to Carlisle. "Charlie is ready to crumple, can I bring him in here for something to eat?"

Esme nodded but was already doing what Esme did, she looked after people. She had Charlie's soup bubbling in the pot before I left the kitchen.

I went into the dining room as Alice was swapping places with Charlie.

"I'll sit with her for a while now Charlie, you should go and have something to eat." She was telling him, but he was reluctant to leave her. I knew how he felt, but there was nothing to do now but wait. Until she regained consciousness she was in no pain.

"Thanks Alice, come on Charlie. Esme has a meal ready for you now." He stood, kissed Bella on the forehead and allowed me to lead him from the room.

I could see the question forming in his brain and wondered if he would have the energy left within himself to ask it.

He stopped at the end of the sofa and I waited, knowing it was coming.

"You won't be eating with me, will you?" He had connected another dot.

"No Charlie. We don't eat your kind of food." He nodded and kept walking to the kitchen. Charlie was always happiest when he didn't know the details of things, this was just one more instance that that was true.

Esme bought Charlie a bowl of soup and some bread and sat him at the stool. I nodded my thanks to her and went in search of Rose, I knew exactly where to find her.

The radio was so loud the bass reverberated through the tiny speakers, making the whole stereo shake on the bench.

Rosalie sang, loudly and badly, as she lay under the Volvo.

"Rosie" I whispered, knowing she'd hear it even over the racket the radio was making.

"Yeah." She answered just as quietly.

"Come out here, please?" I asked.

She muttered under her breath but ultimately came out from under the car. I knew there was nothing that needed doing to it, she was just hiding out here.

She rolled out from under my car, scooting herself across the floor of her workshop on a dolly. It was obvious that she'd been crying, as near to crying as a vampire could get. Her eyes were all screwed up and she was chewing the inside of her lip. What tipped me off – and was the most poignant of all the evidence – was that she had no tools in her hands. She was under my car to hide and cry for my Bella, nothing more, and nothing less.

"Oh Rosie, don't sit out here on your own. Please come inside, we're all upset, I want you with us." I took her into my arms and she sobbed against my chest. It was so rare for Rose to behave this way, I'd only ever seen it twice before. When she had to wait through Emmett's change and when they all thought Bella was going to run from us the night I told her what we were.

"Oh Edward, she's so frail. The way she fell. And that fucking dog just left her there and there was nothing I could do and now, oh god Edward, she's given it all up for us." She croaked into my shirt.

"I know, I know Rosie, I know. It will be okay, I promise. She'll be okay, better than okay. She'll be strong and we won't have to worry anymore – well, not quite so much anyway – and she'll be with us all the time now." I tried to think of the positives, to keep her away from the negatives that I knew she was going to dwell on for the next few years.

"She will be, won't she?" I could hear the change in her voice now. "She'll be strong and we can just have fun and we can go to school with her and oh Edward, you're going to marry her!" It was like it had only just dawned on her, that what Bella had lost meant we'd gain. It was a hell of an equation, and I hated it, but it wasn't lopsided, too much anyway.

"Yeah, and you'll be able to hang shit on her. You'll enjoy that. She can fight back now and you'll have a new someone to argue with. Won't that be fun? And she's got the new car coming and I have a new one coming too and I'm even going to let you drive this one. Oh Rosie it will all work out, I promise." I stroked her hair but I knew from her thoughts what had struck her about my speech. One, two, three, four…

"What did you get? You never said you ordered one too. What did you get? Don't keep this from me, you know I hate that." She pushed herself away from me and I chuckled. That-a-girl Rose.

"Bugatti." One, two, three, four…

"Oh no, you didn't? Did you? Oh my god Edward. Can I really drive it? You aren't just saying that because I'm being a pussy are you? Really? Can I drive it?" she was hopping from foot to foot squealing in delight like Alice did.

"Yes Rose, I did. Dark blue, it will be beautiful and yes, you can drive it. Anytime you like." She hugged me tightly and I pressed a kiss into her hair. "Love you Rose." I said quietly.

"Love you Ed." She murmured. "But if you fucking tell anyone I said that I'll rip your goollies off with a pair of multi-grips." She stood in front of me, still wrapped in my arms and smiled sweetly.

"Yes Rose." I rolled my eyes.

I left Rose in the garage, despite my efforts to get her to go inside she insisted she just needed a little longer alone, so I went off to find the boys. I knew where to find them too. Creatures of habit us Cullen's, that's for sure.

I leapt across the river and heard them before I saw them. Jasper was perched on his usual rock, Emmett hung from a branch above him. They were both audibly quiet, mentally not so much.

Jasper was pondering the meaning of the universe. He often, in times of great stress, wondered why he was put here. He never usually came to any serious conclusions and I doubted he would tonight either.

Emmett was pondering the loss of a fight today. As ever, Emmett's world was very black and white. His agony as Bella collapsed to the ground had been palpable, but it had soon given way to his need to fight for her. It had taken more self-control for Emmett to walk away from the fight today than he had ever thought himself capable of.

Both the boys were thinking of Bella and the agony she would soon contend with.

As I came upon them they tried their best to mask those thoughts, to spare me that at least. I didn't have the heart to tell them I'd already heard and felt the same. Instead I ran into the tiny clearing and sat beside Jasper in my usual spot.

"Hey." I said as Emmett jumped down out of his tree and stood in front of us.

"Hey." They both echoed.

"Fucker of a day huh?" I asked and they both cracked up.

"You could put it that way Ed, that's for sure." Jasper tried not to laugh and I whacked him in his ribs to tell him to stop moping and just be normal.

"So you guys ok out here? You want to hunt a bit?" I asked.

"Done it. I figured Charlie was gonna stay with us so I took care of it already." Jasper shrugged.

"You did good today Jaz. Thanks man. That had to be hard, taking Charlie to the ground like you did. But I never once heard you waiver. You'll be hankering after hamsters come Christmas for sure." I teased. Emmett and I had often teased Jasper about him one day conquering his thirst and being so adept at ignoring humans that he'd be quite content with pets instead. He never, ever laughed.

Today however he threw his head back and laughed like a madman.

"Hamsters, classic. Yeah, you lot will all be running off into the mountains lookin for lions and shit and I'll be pissing off in the car going to 'Pets Paradise', classic." He laughed so hard Emmett and I joined in.

"There'll be a dumpster full of those little carry boxes by the backdoor. You know the ones with the little air holes in the sides? You'd have to buy em by the dozen Jaz. Like popcorn chicken bits." Emmett was roaring with laughter now.

"Those boxes sorta look like those little Chinese Food containers, so maybe they'd home deliver?" I crowed, holding my sides I was laughing so hard.

"Oh man, that's so funny. Can you imagine making that phone call? Yeah, hi, I'm after a dozen hamsters and throw in a puppy and a couple of rabbits. Yeah, that's home delivery. Nah, no garlic bread." Jasper snorted and he fell clean off the rock, bouncing on his ass on the ground beside it.

"Did I tell you guys that I scared the fuck out of Bella last night? Carlisle left me a snack, you know, for after? And I told her I had home delivery…she shit herself thinking I'd phoned for a pizza or something and then ate the delivery kid." I was laughing so hard I almost fell on top of Jasper. He didn't bother getting up, he just rolled about laughing. Emmett was sitting on his heels rocking back and forth screaming laughter into the forest.

"Dude, that shit is wicked. I'm gonna hang so much shit on her now. She's gonna be brilliant Ed." Emmett looked up at me from his spot on the ground and I could tell his mood had switched tack. He started thinking about how she was now truly one of us and what that meant for her, for us.

"I know Em, she was already heaps of fun. Now she'll be awesome." I said it softly, waiting for Jasper to catch his breath and come to terms with the change in emotional state around him. As he got to his feet he clutched at his stomach and I knew Emmett's agony was now Jasper's. He sat back onto the rock beside me and I nudged him gently.

"It's ok Jaz. She's going to be ok. I know it. Today was tough all round. We'll get through it. She's gonna need you for a bit, afterwards." I saw him nod out the corner of my eye and I knew he understood my meaning.

Poor Jasper was going to have his work cut out for him for a bit with Bella. We'd talked about him using his ability to calm her while she was a human, he had said that was simple. It was the newborn rage and thirst he was going to have difficulty helping her with.

Emmett was again thinking about what he'd seen today and I knew he wanted to ask me something, so I looked to him and raised my eyebrows. He grinned and rocked on his heels a little. "So, what do you think Ed?"

"I think I've never had a more satisfying kill than I did today, that's for fucking sure. I'll regret it later, I always do, but for now…" I ran a hand through my hair and tried to assuage the growing feeling of guilt in my gut. Emmett wanted none of it.

"Oh fuck off. He'd have killed her outright the second you retreated and you know it. He had it coming. He never had any intention of letting her go." Emmett balled his fists at his side and I heard Jasper draw in a strangled breath at the fury that engulfed Emmett.

"I know Em. The fucker was taunting me in his head the whole fucking time." I was mindful of Jasper, his struggle was palpable.

"If you hadn't rushed him when you did I'd have done it myself." Jasper whispered and I baulked. It wasn't like him to admit to things like that. He'd think it, but wouldn't put voice to it because he knew Alice didn't like to think about him that way. I waited, knowing he had more to say. "I know you won't want to hear this Ed, but I felt no fear from him, only power." He shook his head and the pain of that settled itself in his brain. He hugged himself tighter as he went on, "He wanted so desperately to take her from you, not for himself, so that you couldn't have her. She was his prize. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I went to Alice's room and watched you kill him. I felt better then."

It took a lot for Jasper to admit that, despite neither Emmett nor myself thinking any less of him for feeling it in the first place.

"In the same situation I'd have done the same Jaz. No question. If that had've been Alice, and you fighting for her I'd have wanted to kill him too. You would too right, Em?" I looked towards Emmett and he was nodding violently in agreement. "It's good to know we'd do that for each other dude, means a lot." I held my fist out and all three of us bumped them in the middle.

"Ok Oprah and Dr Phil, I'm going back. After you've finished kissing and hugging it out round the campfire come on back, the girls will need you tonight." I was running before I finished the sentence knowing they'd give chase if I stayed close while I said it.

The roars of laughter shook the trees as I jumped the river and sprinted back across the lawn.

"_She's doing fine Edward. No change yet." _Esme reported as I came through the back door. I nodded minutely and went to stand in front of the counter where Charlie sat eating his soup in silence. He had his head hung low over the bowl and although he ate heartily he was fading fast.

"Charlie. I will be leaving soon to collect Renee and Phil. They are flying in just now, would you like to accompany me or would you rather stay here and sleep a little?" I knew the answer before he gave it.

"Thanks, but no. I need to sleep. Old man, you know?" He grinning a little, trying to be brave.

"Of course. Charlie, I want to wait to explain everything to you, wait till Renee is here, but you should know that there is nothing to be ashamed of in being tired. Emotional stress kills your energy levels, I know you know that. We don't sleep Charlie, ever. Don't feel bad because we aren't tired." His eyes bugged out as I said it and I heard his heart begin to race a little.

He looked from me to Esme and back again. He cocked his head to the side a little and raised his eyebrows. I smiled and nodded. He was connecting another dot.

"Ever?" He asked.

"Not at all." I tried hard not to laugh as his next thought formed in his head.

"I heard you, didn't I?" He asked.

"Yeah. I knew you thought you'd dreamt it. Sorry." I tried to keep the smile off my face as best I could. Charlie had woken one night while I was with Bella in her room and had come in to see if she was alright. She explained her whimper away as a bad dream, but really it had been the throws of her orgasm that had woken Charlie. I knew, then, that he'd thought he'd heard something other than a bad dream but he couldn't work out how that could've happened if there was nobody there with her in the room. Now he'd worked it out I was embarrassed. Not ashamed, but embarrassed.

"Shit. I knew it." He laughed a little, rubbed the back of his neck and blushed. He looked to Esme, arguing with himself in his head, he'd been bought up to not discuss things like this in front of women and he was embarrassed. He said it anyway. "I should kick your ass."

"Yeah, you should. I'll hold still if you still want to." I said it casually but was ready to either laugh or submit depending on what he chose to do.

He didn't roar with laughter like us three boys had just done in the clearing, but he laughed all the same. His eyes crinkled at the edges and his moustache wiggled as his lips puckered with it. He looked happy for a few seconds and I was pleased for him. He'd need all the reminders he could, over the next few days, that there would be laughter in his life again one day.

"I'll pass. You scare the shit out of me already Edward. I'll pass." He went back to his bowl and finished the last few sips of soup. "Thank you Esme, that was delicious. Bella likes to cook too, she's been fattening me up all year." He gasped in shock as he said it, thinking he'd just made a big mistake. But I laughed and so did Esme.

"Bella has taught me lots of things in the kitchen Charlie. She is very clever. Don't be embarrassed Charlie, it's a good thing, that she's been fattening you up. You've been thin for far too long." She smiled indulgently at him and he began to wonder how long we'd known him for. If Esme knew he had been thin before last summer, how long had she known him then?

"Bella was five Charlie, when I met her for the first time. It's complicated and not what you think. Please trust me a little longer?" I said it very quietly and very evenly and looked him straight in the eye.

Charlie stared at me, bewilderment on his face and in his brain. He was trying to work out how I knew what he was thinking. There would be a time to explain that, as well, tonight.

"Five?" He asked and then shook his head. It was all too much for now. "Can I go back up there?" he pointed to the landing on the top floor and I knew he wanted to go back to my bedroom and sleep.

"Sure Charlie, of course. Alice has put some clean clothes and towels in the bathroom there for you. Please help yourself, our home is your home Charlie." Esme said, patting Charlie on the forearm.

"Thanks. Will you wake me if Bella…"He couldn't articulate the thought and my heart ached for him. He still couldn't believe fully that she'd be ok.

"She will be asleep, as she is, for a while longer Charlie. If anything happens or she wakes up I'll come and get you straight away." Esme promised.

"Ok. Thanks. Will you bring Renee and Phil here Edward?" he asked.

"Yes Charlie. I'll wake you when we get back, they'll want to see her and won't understand what happened. I'd like to tell you all at the same time, even though you know more than they do already."

"Right. I'll be up there then." He nodded at us both and went off up the stairs.

I turned to Esme. "I'm going to sit with Alice and Bella for a bit. I have to leave in an hour to collect Renee and Phil. I won't have time to talk to Carlisle before I go, will you sit with him?" I asked.

"He's doing ok you know? Knowing it's what she wanted makes it easier for him. It's not so bad this time. He knows you've got a lot to do now, he's not worried, he doesn't think you're ignoring or avoiding him, just busy sweetheart. Go, be with Alice and Bella, they need you. He'll be waiting, ready when you are love." She hugged me round my waist and I kissed her hair. I told her thank you and went to the dining room.

I had heard Alice whispering to Bella for the last hour or so. Inanities really. She talked about school and Angela and Ben. The wedding got a long mention in the middle and now she had moved on to telling her all the things she wanted to do with Bella now that she would be strong enough to survive them. I smiled at her indulgently as I took the chair beside her. I slipped Bella's hand out of hers and settled it between mine after I kissed her fingers. Still warm. Her heart was still beating merrily and if it weren't for the change in her scent I'd think she really was just asleep.

"_I'm so sorry Edward." _Alice sobbed in her mind.

"Out loud Alice. She can hear us you know? Are you alright little one?" I asked Alice, putting my other hand in her lap and linking her fingers with mine.

She lifted her sad eyes to mine and I knew she wasn't.

"Not really, I'm so sorry I let you down Edward." She hung her head to her chest and I pulled her closer to me, the chair making a scraping sound as it moved against the wooden floor.

"Hey, you didn't let me down Alice. Not at all. If you hadn't called to me when you did it might have been too late by the time I got here. I owe you everything, she will too Alice." I nodded towards Bella.

"I was concentrating so hard on trying to find the outcome of what was happening in the clearing I lost sight of what was happening here. I'll never forgive myself for that. I hate not being able to see when the wolves are near." She wailed against my shoulder.

"Hey, Shhh. It's ok. Really it is. You can't be all things to all people Alice. I know you know that, despite how hard you try to be." I rubbed her arm as she came to sit upright again in her chair. I held my breath as I asked the next question. "Can you see her Alice?"

"Yeah, look." She scrunched up her little nose and I watched the images as they flowed through her mind. Bella and me in the meadow, Bella and me on a plane, Bella and me at school somewhere, Bella with Esme shopping. Over and over images of my beautiful Bella flashed through her mind. I let the breath out slowly as I came to see that she was perfect, her skin a dazzling white, sparkling like mine. "Thank god." I whispered to myself.

"No Edward, don't thank god, thank Bella. She knew what she wanted long before you decided to let her choose. I know you never wanted this for her, but she wanted this for you. It'll be alright, we'll get through this part and then we'll be okay Edward, I've seen it, you know I have." She patted my thigh and I sighed.

"I know you have Alice. I will believe it when she wakes up and recognizes me, not before." I sighed again, deeply, and looked over to where Bella slept.

"_I'll put her in something nicer and get her into a bed before you come back Edward, I'll be real careful, I promise."_ Alice told me and I squeezed her hand in thanks.

It had only been a few hours and I was grateful that so far she seemed peaceful. I hoped I'd be back from the airport before the screaming began.

Renee was pale and shaking as she sat beside Phil in the back of the Guardian. I couldn't look at the Volvo in the garage as I'd slid the keys off their hook earlier. It would have to go. I'd donate it to a charity. There was no way I'd be able to see it everyday without seeing Jacob standing beside it with his hand round Bella's throat. Driving it ever again was out of the question.

I'd told Renee and Phil that Bella was resting comfortably but that she had been hurt today. I'd explained about Jacob – though at the moment I'd only told them that he was a boy who had a crush on Bella and had tried to force her to choose him, over me, by force – and that in the process Bella had been hurt. Renee asked where Charlie was and I told her he was in shock but fine, also resting at my home. She nodded and returned to crying as she leaned on Phil's shoulder.

I'd not met either of them before, officially, although I knew a lot about them from both Bella and my time with Bella before she knew me. Phil was wary of me and I didn't blame him. When your step daughter phones out of the blue to say she's getting married, at seventeen – even though she will be almost eighteen before it happens – without warning and then the very next day the boy she's marrying phones you to tell you she's hurt and you should fly out to see her immediately you're going to be on edge. I didn't bother trying to decipher Renee's thoughts, they were too jumbled with worry and she was having trouble forming rational thoughts as images of a broken and bleeding Bella crept into her mind.

Phil was more practical. He spent the bulk of the trip trying to rearrange his coaching schedule around this impromptu trip. Once he'd gotten a grip on that he moved on to what he'd need to do to their house in Phoenix before Bella came home next. I smiled to myself as he thought about painting her room and adding a double bed, rather than the slim single that had always stood in the centre of the room up until now. He had so many questions he wanted to ask me, as many as Charlie had when he'd first learnt that Bella and I were dating. He was as much a protective father as Charlie was, despite his being Bella's stepfather.

He had a few questions in the front of his mind and I waited patiently, driving slowly, more slowly than I would normally, for him to ask before we got to the house.

He never did though. He just sat quietly, patting Renee's back as I drove.

I pulled into the driveway and Renee ran straight into the house, she didn't wait for either of us. She was calling for Bella in a high-pitched voice I knew came from panic and sheer terror that she might lose her daughter. Phil winced as Renee called. I put my hand on his shoulder when he slumped against the back of the Guardian and let his suitcase fall from his hand.

"She'll be ok Phil, I promise." He looked into my eyes and I knew he knew something was afoot.

This was going to be a long, long night.

**BPOV**

Cold arms were carrying me. The air that swept around me as I was moved was cold. The black had been removed and in its wake all was cold.

The cold sheet underneath me replaced the timber table. Cold fingers touched my skin as my clothes were taken from me. I was now dressed in something new, the fabric was cold. Whoever was touching me was cold, their skin was cold and so was their breath. So cold. The air I dragged in through my nose was cold. It smelled cold, like the mist that came in the mornings when you first step outside. As she slipped my hand into hers she bent over me and kissed my cheek and her words were cold. Not unfeeling, they were cold. In temperature.

The locket around my neck was cold, it rested between my breasts, and my breasts were cold.

My new world changed from black to cold.

Jacob took my warmth.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Control

**EPOV**

That was the longest night of my existence I thought as I climbed the stairs to talk with Carlisle.

I knocked on his door and he said I could go in. He sat in his chair with his hands under his chin as always, pouring over a huge leather bound volume open in front of him.

"Long night?" He asked as I flopped down into the chair opposite him.

"You know it was." I grimaced.

"How do you feel now then?" He asked, slipping a marker between the pages of the book and flipping it shut with a loud bang.

"Fucking lousy." I said truthfully.

Renee had stood in the foyer screaming for Bella until Esme had folded her into her arms and led her up the stairs to where Bella lay in Alice's bed. Renee had sunk to her knees and cried as she held Bella's hand in hers. Phil had followed soon after, taking the stairs two at a time and crumpling on the floor beside her as they took in how still she was. There wasn't a mark on her, but I had explained that she was very ill before we'd arrived, so they knew the gravity of the situation even if they didn't understand what had happened yet, and why.

I had left them with Bella and gone to wake Charlie. He had slept fitfully, he said, and I'd left him to shower and change before asking him to join me in the dining room when he was ready.

Esme had ushered Renee and Phil down the stairs and into the dining room and I'd slipped into Alice's room for a few minutes alone with Bella. I'd kissed her and told her how much I loved her, how sorry I was for what she was going through. I promised I was taking care of everything, that her parents were here and everything was going to be ok, eventually. I called Rose who came to sit with her while I went to talk to the three humans in the dining room.

I had wanted Jasper with me as I told them, his gift would have made the situation easier to bear, but he just wasn't up to it.

Charlie sat stoically as I told Renee and Phil what I was and what had happened and why. Phil didn't believe me, at all, and Renee had been about to ask what the joke was when they both looked to Charlie. He hadn't said a word and Renee asked him if it was true. Charlie had nodded and she'd cried.

Phil had put himself between me and Renee and I cringed. I knew that Bella got her lack of self preservation from both Charlie and Renee, but Phil had a healthy distrust of me and while he wasn't scared, he wasn't far off it.

It had taken three hours to explain it all. Another hour after that to calm Renee down. Another three hours of explanations followed and at the end both Charlie and Renee thanked me for what I'd done in her defense. Phil said nothing.

Esme had made a dozen or more cups of tea for each of them and as the first rays of the morning's sunlight filtered into the room my family joined me at the table. Rose had stayed with Bella until Emmett relieved her at 6am.

I introduced them all to each other and Phil's eyes had bugged out as the room filled with vampires. Renee was a little spooked but was much calmer than Phil. She took from Charlie's lead mostly. If he tensed she did. If he sighed she did. If he cried she did. Alice, Jasper and I each explained our particular gifts and how they worked. Nothing we told them seemed to shock them any more than the initial 'we're vampires' had, and I was grateful for that small mercy. All through the night it was the same. Phil comforted Renee, Charlie tried to be brave.

Once everyone was seated around the table we began to deconstruct what would happen now. My whole family took the time to indoctrinate Bella's family into ours. Renee asked hundreds of questions. Charlie only a few less. Phil said nothing.

Esme excused herself mid morning and half an hour later she returned with a platter of food. All three ate hungrily, thanking Esme for making the effort.

Carlisle took it as a good time to explain our diet and another round of questions, tears and recriminations was had.

As silence finally fell in the room I began to think over their mental thoughts with interest. Renee was resigned, Charlie was optimistic, Phil was aghast.

"I think we should show Renee and Phil to their room now. Give them a chance to rest, yes?" Carlisle asked.

"I'd like to see Bella on my way past, is that ok?" Renee asked tentatively.

"This is your home now too, please use it as such. You don't have to ask permission to do anything here. What's mine is yours." I told Renee and she nodded and mouthed thank you. Phil kept her hand in his as they followed Carlisle towards the guest room on the first floor.

"_I'll be in my study when you're ready, son."_ Carlisle offered me as he ushered Renee into Alice's room then took Phil to the guest room and shut the door behind him.

"I think it went as well as could be expected, under the circumstances. You're getting quite adept at the explaining part." Carlisle smirked.

"Three times in as many months, fantastic." I ran my hand through my hair and huffed heavily.

"What do you think will happen now?" He asked, sitting forward.

"Renee is determined to stay on, Phil will do whatever Renee wants but I'm sure he'll convince her to stay at Charlie's, not here. Charlie won't leave till Bella is awake, at least. Alice has seen that much." I blew out a breath and went on. "What about for you?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" He furrowed his brows.

"What will you do now Carlisle?" I asked quietly.

"Ahh, I see. I'm not sure." I could hear that he truly didn't know what he would do now.

The last time Carlisle had changed one of us – Emmett - Carlisle had put himself into a sort of self-imposed exile. His penance he'd called it. He'd saved a life but had taken one in the same instance. It had taken him longer and longer to recover from each incidence since he'd changed me. He wrestled with the choices he'd made, the act itself culminating in a self-loathing that seemed to make him, in a way, mentally ill for a time afterwards.

I knew he would struggle with what he had done for Bella today too.

"You don't feel the same way as you did with us, though, do you?" I asked.

"No, I don't. That's true. I was spared the indecision this time. I'm unsure yet whether that will play on my psyche, I guess we'll wait and see." He clasped his hands together and I saw the question form in his mind as he asked it of me. "How are you feeling about what you've done today?"

"Victorious, for now." I hung my head.

"Natural reaction, don't beat yourself up over that. The desire to protect ones mate is all consuming. Nobody thinks less of you for what you did. Each of us would've done the same."

"I know, but it will hurt, at some point, I think. I am a little concerned about what Bella will think when she comes back to me and I have to explain what I've done."

"You'll work it out together. If you didn't do what you did there might never have been a together Edward."

I sat in silence thinking about what he'd just said. I could see the hint of truth in as much as if I'd let Jacob go he would never have stopped until one of us had been destroyed. It may not have happened tomorrow or even a month from now, but his threat was real. He'd have killed us both to have Bella.

"I was wrong you know?" I said truthfully.

"How so?" He asked, obviously intrigued.

"She was right all along. There is no point to forever if we aren't together. You gave her, us, that chance. I'll be eternally grateful." I stood and he shook my hand across his desk. He didn't let my hand go, instead he squeezed it tighter.

"You're welcome, I did it for you, always for you, son." And I nodded.

"Can I see her crest now?" I smirked.

"No bloody way. You'll see it when I give it to her. Now bugger off and stop bothering me. I've got work to do." He laughed.

I went down the hall to Alice's room and knocked lightly. Renee said I could come in and I found her sitting in a chair beside the bed holding Bella's hand.

I smiled at her softly then bent over Bella and kissed her temple. I sat on the sofa under the front window and watched as Renee massaged Bella's palm.

She was forming more questions in her head and I waited as patiently as I could.

It wasn't long before she took a deep, calming breath and began.

"Babies?" Was all she said and I shook my head sadly.

She blew out the breath she had been holding and went on. "School? Will she ever finish school?"

"Yes, many times over I fact. I've done it dozens of times myself. We all have. She will be able to do whatever she chooses, without restriction really. Depending on how she copes with, well, with her thirst." I was careful to be respectful. Renee might understand but she didn't want to have to.

"She'll have to watch us die, won't she?" I knew she was talking about old age and I nodded gravely. I'd been spared that particular torture, my parents having perished only a few days before I was supposed to myself. I know Rose struggled with the loss of her parents when it happened for her, as did Esme. Emmett was his usual black and white self, grieved as was expected and moved on.

"That sort of makes me feel okay about this. Is that weird?" She asked. I couldn't fathom either from her question or what she was thinking what she meant.

"How so?" I asked.

"To know that when it's time for me to go she'll live on, forever. It's better than dreaming of her being a famous writer or something, you know? That she'll never die." She was pensive as she said it, trying to gauge my reaction before she showed me hers.

"I've never thought about that before Renee. I can see how that would be comforting to a parent, yes." I agreed.

"Have you always loved her then? Even when she was tiny?" She asked without warning.

"Yes." I answered.

"Always? You've never loved anyone else?" She was surprised.

"Never." I went on to further explain the imprint complexities to her and she nodded here and there as she came to understand. It was hard for Renee to try and understand how I could covet Bella's blood and love her at the same time. I tried my best to make her understand, but in the end I knew it was up to Renee to either believe or simply accept. For now she hovered somewhere between the two.

"Was she very brave when you told her all this?" Renee asked with a gentle smile.

"Oh yes. She stunned us all actually. Jasper described it as 'tearing me a new one' the day she asked me what I really was." I grinned, thinking back to Bella's rant.

"She can be feisty can't she?" she giggled. It sounded just like Bella and my heart soared.

"Emmett said that about her once, we'd been on the river in the boat and Emmett had been teasing her all morning. She got him a good one and he called her feisty." I said quietly, thinking back to that first magical day.

Renee was watching me intently as I spoke, cocking her head to the side like Charlie did. "They all love her, don't they? Your family?" I nodded and she went on. "They all speak about her with such affection. I feel I hardly know her at all now. She's led a different life here, I wasn't part of that."

"We didn't mean for that to hurt you Renee, please believe that. You'd never have let me near her if I'd come to you and told you, before she loved me, would you?"

"No, I wouldn't. I'm still not sure it's a good idea, but I know it's too late for that." She put her head on Bella's arm and cried quietly. She was thinking about all the things Bella had just lost. I wanted to remind her about the things she'd gained, but knew she'd come to those herself, in time.

"Would you like me to leave you for a bit?" I asked, gently as I stood and came around to her side of Bella's makeshift hospital bed.

"I'd think I might go and see if I can get some sleep actually. You won't leave her alone will you, if I go for a while?" She flipped her face up to mine as she asked.

"No, she'll never be alone Renee. I promise. I'll come for you if she wakes." I said.

She nodded, kissed Bella's cheek softly, murmured how much she loved her and then she slipped from the room quietly.

I took her place and took Bella's hand into mine. I bent over her and kissed her lightly on her lips. "I love you Bella. We won't leave you alone, not for a second love. You're doing so well. We love you, we're waiting for you love. Get strong. Come back to us soon." I kissed her again and felt the first cooling of her skin.

Eleven eighteen Monday morning I noticed it for the first time.

First her scent was changing, now her skin. Dear god what have we done?

**BPOV**

When my mother sat down beside me and cried the outlook from my prison shifted again, from cold to sadness.

She held my hand and cried at my side. She was sad because I was no longer going to be her baby, I wasn't even going to be human anymore and she was sad. So I was sad.

It permeated my skin, this sadness. As she touched the skin on my hand her sadness leeched into me. It clawed at my throat, making it seem like it was closing over. Her cries were sad, her voice was sad, her heartbeat was sad.

My Edward joined her. They spoke, sadly, about the things I'd never have now. He was sad too. His sadness joined with hers and infected my brain.

My body ached with it, it spread through me like a virus, sapping all the good in me and turning it all to this hideous sadness.

My new world changed from cold to sad.

Jacob took my happiness.

**EPOV**

Carlisle had tried to pry me away for a bit, to shave or shower, change my clothes or talk with Charlie and Renee some more but he'd not managed to convince me. So I sat.

At two o'clock in the afternoon Alice bought me clean clothes and stroked my hair as she kissed me, then Bella.

Rose came by at four to check on us both. She kissed me lightly on my cheek, squeezed my hand then Bella's, wished us both well and had left soon after.

Phil stopped by at six pm to see how she was doing. I'd told him no change and he'd left without another word.

Emmett bought Bella's ipod and dock in at 8pm that night and set it up on Alice's dresser. He chuckled at a playlist called 'sparkly' and then hit play. He asked how she was, I told him no change, he bumped fists with me, wished us well and left.

Charlie came and sat with us for a few hours during Monday night. We talked a little about the things he'd seen in the lock box yesterday and I did my best to explain to him how everything worked. He kissed her, shook my hand and wished us well as he left.

Carlisle came for a few moments before he went to his shift at the hospital. He actually asked me if I minded if he went to work. I said of course I didn't, I knew other people needed him too. He made me promise to call him if she needed him. He kissed her cheek, told her he loved her, told me he loved me, squeezed my shoulder and left.

At ten o'clock Monday night Renee came and sat with us for a little while. She told me that her and Phil would go to Charlie's in the morning to stay. Charlie planned to stay here. Phil was uncomfortable being here, I told her I understood and so would Bella. She left at midnight, kissing Bella's cheek and then mine.

At two Esme bought me my cell phone, I had a message from Sam wishing us all luck and another from Seth saying much the same. She stroked my hair and cooed that everything would be alright. She asked if I needed anything and when I said I didn't she wished Bella goodnight, kissed her cheek and left us.

At three Jasper came to sit with us. He worked hard to take some of my pain away. I knew it hurt him to do it but I was grateful for the little bit of relief I felt.

Carlisle had warned me that it would be agonizing, that because she was my imprint _and_ my singer I may suffer even more than he had during Esme's change. I was staggered as memories of that time came back to me. For the first time in a long, long time I was afraid.

**BPOV**

Sadness gave way to fear when Jasper came and sat with Edward to watch over me.

Edward was afraid. It rolled off him, through Jasper and came to me as a plague that settled in my heart. And then I was afraid.

Afraid of the pain, afraid to be alone. Afraid of what I was going to be, what I might be, what I definitely would be. I was afraid for Edward and what it would do to him, this change. All he had said that night came to me and it contaminated my brain. Would he want me now, I was afraid to know.

Where I had once been optimistic that this could work, that I could have Edward, I now feared it.

This parallel world changed from sad to frightening.

Jacob had taken my bravery.

**EPOV**

At seven twenty six on Tuesday morning, while Neutron Star Collision by Muse played on her ipod, the screaming began.

**BPOV**

The screaming didn't help.

**EPOV**

At four forty-nine on Tuesday afternoon I broke. I couldn't sit there another minute longer and listen to her scream. Alice had seen it and had come to stand inside the door to her room, ready to take me outside once I'd come to my limit.

Jasper was sitting outside the door, cross-legged, ready to sit with her when I left.

Emmett was waiting for me at the backdoor as I flew through it at top speed. He matched me stride for stride until I hit the clearing and then he fell back, letting me go on ahead.

I ran and ran and ran. My feet hardly hit solid ground the whole way. I ran so far I ran out of continent to run across. I'd doubled back, twisted, turned and been back to the clearing four times before he finally spoke.

"Edward. Please." He said quietly as I ran past him.

I took one more lap of the clearing, bouncing off rocks, rebounding off trees, ricocheting off the shallow ridges that ran the edge of the small gaps between the rocks. With every step I roared. Guttural. Primal. Feral. I felt every ounce the vampire I was. Emmett was stood in the centre of the clearing, absolutely still. His eyes followed me from step to step and he winced with each scream I pierced the air with. I came to stand directly in front of him and roared right into his face, letting him know in no uncertain terms that I was not interested in anything he had to say or offer. She was fucking dying right in front of me in such agony and I couldn't do a thing about it.

To his credit he just stood there, giving me a target to vent at.

What I really wanted was Carlisle. I needed Carlisle. I needed Carlisle to see what he'd done, to feel what he'd done to her. To hear what he had put her through. I hated him. I hated them all. I hated her for making me go through this. I hated Charlie and Renee for having given birth to a _singer_. A fucking singer! Whose blood I'd craved for a decade. Whose blood had tormented me day and night for a decade. I hated Alice for having seen her change, for putting me in pictures in her head where Bella was changed. I wanted to hate them all, equally, for being so fucking understanding. I didn't want their pity, their sympathy, I wanted them all to feel like this, to share this pain. Take some of the burden upon themselves. I wanted to expel this poison in my chest and make them all as ill with it as I was right now. I wanted them to feel how toxic it was, taste this acrid burning I tasted, smell how disgusting we were, feel how hateful we all were for doing this to her.

Round and round I ran. I'd lost a shoe the bottom of my jeans were now rags and my shirt was hanging off me at an odd angle where I'd caught it on a branch and had just kept running. I tore at my hair until my hands and fingers couldn't grip any tighter. No pain came to me. I wanted to feel pain, real pain, to suffer as she was suffering. I remembered what it felt like to burn as she was burning. I knew what it was that made you beg to die. I knew what it meant to forgo everything you'd gain and just allow the pain to consume you fully, to end the agony and let blissful nothingness have you.

I stood in front of Emmett again and bellowed into his face. "She's begging me to kill her. She's seventeen and she would rather die. How do I live with that?" And then I ran some more.

Em ran with me this time, keeping his footing on the same rocks just half a step behind me. If I turned he turned, if I twisted he twisted. When I propped he propped. I knew what he was doing, he was ghosting me. Sharing it with me. Trying to soak it up for me, to spare me some of it. So we ran.

**BPOV**

Edward had reached his limit and had fled. Good. Alice sat with me now as my pain crested and infested every cell in my body.

I was no longer scared. Now I was weak. I couldn't suffer this without screaming and I felt weak. I was powerless to help myself. I felt like an invalid that was trapped in a spiral of pain from which there was neither an escape nor an antidote. As a human I'd felt inadequate and unequal to Edward and his family, now I felt utterly devoid of worth. I wasn't strong enough to do this.

As this body I inhabited died I lost my courage as I plunged headlong into the pain.

Jacob had taken my strength.

**EPOV**

I fell. For the first time in ninety years I fell while running.

I clipped the rock too close and fell, face first, into the dirt. I skidded to a stop at the base of a tree and slammed my fist into it, shattering it and sending it careening over into the next tree, which fell too.

Emmett stood where I had been half a second before I'd slid on my ass and laughed like he had never laughed before. At me. Not with me, at me.

"Dude that is the funniest fucking thing I've ever seen." He screamed with laughter.

I got up and dusted my hands off onto my filthy jeans and went back to where he was standing. For a quarter of a second I debated whether to fight or laugh. A third option, that I hadn't considered, was delivered to me in the form of Emmett's giant arms crushing me to his chest. He hugged me for an age. He never said a word, just stood with me, holding me tightly. It was the most emotion Emmett had ever shown to me and I studied his mind hard coming to realize that he was hurting just as much as I was. He felt just as angry, just as helpless. So we stood there.

**BPOV**

Alice left when Charlie arrived. He talked and sometimes cried as I screamed. I didn't want him in here. If Edward couldn't handle it I knew it would destroy my father.

My weakness abated as I curbed the need to scream in pain. Charlie didn't deserve what I was putting him through so I concentrated on holding my scream within my head. I still screamed but it was contained in my brain. I fought for control over it, battled to keep my struggle an internal one. Somewhere inside me I found two hundred and seventy-three seconds of quiet agony, rather than the bellowing madness that hurt Charlie, I did my best to give him that few minutes peace.

I found I could control it then, to channel the intense desire to scream, to vent my anguish, and curb it into an internal rage. As each bout of silent rebellion took me over I discovered a renewed sense of self.

My silent plague did not diminish, it contaminated every pore of me, but I bore it in silence.

As my body fought the demon that consumed it I was taken to a new height.

Jacob had taken my choice. I was reclaiming my self-control.

**CPOV**

My baby girl screamed for an hour without rest. I sat beside her and didn't pause for breath. I told her everything I'd wished I'd been man enough to say while she was growing up. I told her all the things I'd wanted her to know about me but had never taken the time to show her.

After a while her body stopped thrashing so much and she paused for breath a few times. The screaming lessened a little and began a soft, shallow whimper every now and then, regular though, like contractions during labor. She'd cry out for a little bit then slump back onto the bed and gasp, only to start shrieking again. I had hoped that was the 'change' coming to an end but I didn't know how to tell and it was too stupid a question to ask. Edward and Carlisle had told us it would take about three days, it had only been 50 hours, and so it couldn't be the beginning of the end.

I was ashamed to say I didn't want it to be the beginning of the end because I knew I had to leave once she was finishing the change. Edward had explained that to all of us, that Bella's first thought when she awoke from this fucking nightmare was going to be for her thirst.

Oh my god. My little girl was going to wake up and want to kill me! She was going to need blood to survive from now on. I'd wrestled with that during the night. I wanted her here but I was only just beginning to come to grips with the consequences of wanting that.

If I'd begged them to leave her alone they would have, and now she'd be a cripple. She may have even actually died because of the injury, I didn't know for sure. But I didn't want that for her either. It was an impossible choice.

Renee had come to the conclusion that our immortal daughter would outlive us and be strong and 'healthy' forever, she had justified what she was to become using that logic. In a way I agreed, in so many others I did not.

Dwelling on it, however, would do nothing for either of us.

So I sat with her until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. It was just getting dark outside when Esme came in to sit with Bella, telling me there was a meal for me in the kitchen when I was ready. I thanked her, patted Bella one more time on her hand and told her I loved her.

**EPOV**

I clung to Emmett in the clearing and sniveled like a baby. He held me tightly and there was not a single moment of awkwardness that we were two men standing in a field crying like children. Right up until I started sniggering, that is.

He let me go and took a big step backward and tried to work out what was so funny. I couldn't help my laughter now, it came out of me as easily as my rage had earlier.

"Dude…" I laughed, "How fucking funny do you reckon…" I snorted, "Man, how gay do we…" I couldn't control it anymore. I threw my head back and laughed like a madman.

"I know…" he pointed at me, "Queer Eye for the Vamp-guy…" he snorted, putting one hand on his hip and the other wrist bent over at an odd angle, "Oh Eddie, don't cry love, let Emmy make it all better…" he minced over to me and I cracked up again.

"Don't you tell a fucking soul you prick." I shouted as he minced over to the rocks.

"Like I'm gonna admit to hugging your hairy ass man." He laughed.

"You want this ass, admit it. And **you** hugged me faggot." I retorted, taking my spot on the rock next to him.

"Prove it shit head." He stormed, fake anger in his eyes.

"Fuck!" I shouted, "I hope Alice didn't just see that."

He cringed but shrugged his shoulders. "I don't give a toss, really. I needed that, I think you did too. It's been a hell of a few days, bound to get all fucked up and act like a pussy at some point." He shrugged again.

"Yeah. Bound to happen." I thought about it and he was right. I wasn't ashamed of it, even if Alice did see it I wouldn't care. "We can always bribe her to keep it to herself anyway."

He thought about that for a second, then said, "I don't really care Ed. I don't. I'm not ashamed of anything. You're my brother, Bella's my sister. I love you both. Nothing wrong with that. I hate what's happening to her too, you know? I'm not saying it wont be easier once it's over, cause it will be, for us all. But I still hate that it had to happen." He was quiet for a few seconds but I knew what he wanted to say next. So I braced myself for it and waited. "Has Alice seen her?" He asked eventually and I let out the breath I'd been holding.

"Yeah. She's perfect." I smiled. "Better than perfect." I drew in another deep breath, "It looked like she still wanted me, after, Em."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – Risen

**BPOV**

Esme switched with Charlie. She hummed my lullaby as she used an icy cold washcloth to bathe my burning skin and then she dressed me in a cool white cotton dress. I didn't see it, I smelled it. I could smell the colour, not just the fabric. White smelled clean, just as black smelled of dirt.

Esme smelled of caramel. A warm chocolate colour surrounded her as I stared at her blankly through eyes that echoed my pain. She was suffering along with me, her eyes showed me that as she leaned over and kissed my forehead.

She told me the burning was the end, that I'd need to burn through it, that it would consume me but then it would abate and I'd be whole again. Reborn she'd called it. Like a Phoenix rising out of the ashes. I'd be new.

My life was going to be new.

Jacob had taken my old life. I was being reborn into a new one.

**EPOV**

She was quiet now, very quiet. Caught up in the turmoil that was the death throes of the last of her change. Carlisle confirmed it when he'd come to check on her earlier, but I'd known it myself well before that.

Her breathing was laborious. She was covered in a thin film of sweat, the last of her bodily fluids to be consumed before our venom ate her blood. Carlisle had used a syringe full of my venom to her heart and he'd then had to bite her all over to inject his own. I was fairly sure I could've done it myself, but I'm glad I'd not had to.

Her body jerked and twisted with the pain but she did not cry out. I told her over and over that it was ok to scream. If she needed to. That she'd not hurt me with it, to stop being so fucking brave and just do what she felt she needed. But to no avail. She suffered what was surely the worst of the agony in silence.

Jasper bought me my cell phone and I read the good wishes messages that her mother and Phil had left for her during the day. They'd gone to Charlie's to rest this morning and weren't due back until later that night.

Charlie would be leaving with them when they left. They couldn't be here when she roused. It was too dangerous for them and she'd never forgive herself if she did something to hurt them. So we had agreed that they would go to Charlie's and stay there. They would be able to speak with her on the phone but couldn't see her until she had her thirst under control. They had all been aghast when I'd had to tell them that might take years. So they would all have their last visit with their child tonight and then they'd leave her here, with us. Forever.

Alice came in at seven that night and I asked her again if anything she'd seen had changed. She said it had not. Bella would be whole, we'd be together, forever. I relaxed a little as she showed me again, but was still worried about this last part that I knew would be the worst for my beautiful girl.

**BPOV**

There has always been a scientific theory regarding the reason our first memories are held in our subconscious, not our consciousness. Some think its because the traumatic way we come into this world would scar us for life if we could recall it with any clarity. The other side of the debate believe our births cannot be remembered because we don't form a memory, that can recall facts, until we are much older.

Both sides were fucking idiots.

I would never forget this birth.

It infested me. My blood was eaten away by the venom at such an incredible rate that it burned in my veins, my muscles spasming and aching. I crested one wave of agony and felt it subside only to be lifted onto another wave.

Jacob had killed my human body. My new body was taking over, and I was in agony.

**CPOV**

Phil hadn't really said too much since they'd arrived. I'd heard him and Renee arguing quietly this morning, but I'd not been able to make out what about.

I didn't really want to know, I just needed to know if Phil really was planning on skipping out. If he was going to leave Renee I'd have to help her through this on my own, as best I could. That would be interesting. I'd not spent any real time with Renee since she'd upped and left all those years ago. Sure, we'd talked on the phone about Bella and had met at halfway points all over the place to hand her over or collect her, but never really talked.

She'd come to me this afternoon while I was sat out on the front porch sipping my beer. She'd sat between my knees on the bottom step and we'd talked. Really talked. Phil was leaving and he probably wasn't coming back. She said he couldn't handle any of this, that it made no sense and that she was welcome to the insanity but that he was going back to Phoenix, back to work, back to normal.

She'd cried a little and I'd patted her hand and her back. It was uncomfortable at first, but after a while we talked some more and we agreed that we'd get Bella through this, that she was our first priority, and then we'd sort out what we'd do after that. For now she would stay with me, the rest we'd deal with later.

Now all three of us were sat at the kitchen counter at the Cullen's house, eating yet another dinner made by Esme. There was no food at my house, Bella normally did the shopping and the cooking. I guess those days were over now too.

Renee and I had chatted with Esme a little as we ate and we'd both told her how grateful we were that Bella was being looked after by the Cullen's. Esme had beamed at us and told us that she was so happy to have Bella as part of the family now, and of course that now included the three of us. Phil had just snorted and shifted away from the counter a little further. I got mad because he just didn't need to be rude to Esme, she was taking care of our – yes our, Phil had married Renee so that made him Bella's dad too – daughter and he was being an ass, regardless of what he thought of the Cullen's.

Jasper and Emmett were sitting at the small table in the kitchen playing cards. I'd been introduced to them the day before, they were strange, but friendly enough. It was obvious they cared about my Bell's a great deal because they were never very far from where she was. Hovering, I'd call it.

If I thought about it, the whole family hovered. Apart from Carlisle who excused himself to go to the hospital a few times over the last few days, none of them left the house too much. Jasper, whom I was told was the most recent vegetarian convert, had gone off 'hunting' a few times but I'd tried not to think too much about that.

The three girls had stuck to the house almost continually. I'd gone out to the garage and had a chat with the blonde one, Rose, yesterday and she'd shown me the cars and bikes. It had been a good distraction really. It was an impressive collection. But apart from her, both Alice and Esme were always in the house. Esme cooked and cleaned and generally looked after everyone while Alice was either with Edward or Bella most of the time. I knew that Edward was close to Alice and it showed when you saw the two of them together. I didn't really understand these gifts they said they had, but to me it sort of looked like they could have silent conversations together. She'd say something in her head, he'd either hear it or see it – that's the bit I couldn't work out, did he read minds or hear minds? – and he'd nod or move or shift slightly to answer it. They could go hours like that, neither saying a damn thing but the other would know exactly what was going on with the other. It was freaky shit.

I was going in to see Bell's shortly with Renee. Phil said he wanted to talk to Edward but that he'd come in after that. I didn't really care either way, as long as I got to sit with her for a bit before we left.

That was going to be hard, saying goodnight to her tonight knowing it might be the last time I laid eyes on her for years.

**EPOV**

I shook Charlie's hand when he and Renee came in to see Bella for the last time. He asked how she was doing and I told him it wouldn't be long now. I told them both that although she was completely cold now, to them anyway, she was ok inside. I'd laid my hand in Renee's hand and had let her feel how cold I was so that she could reconcile that with what Bella would feel like so she didn't get upset. Cold didn't always mean dead. Renee was getting the hang of speaking to me via her thoughts and she thanked me for the gentle way I'd explained this to her. I nodded and smiled.

I told them that this last part, where the venom took final control of her organs, was going to be the hardest part for her, and for us. She would be in a lot of pain but that hopefully it would be brief. They just nodded and took a seat either side of the bed. I kissed her forehead and smoothed her dress a little to hide her tattoo – neither parent knew about it and I wanted Bella to be the one to either tell them or show them when the time was right – and told her I'd be back soon.

Phil waited for me in Carlisle's study and I already knew what he wanted to tell me before he opened his mouth. I was sorry though, this would hurt them all.

As I was moving towards Carlisle's chair he began speaking and I baulked.

"I'm leaving, now. I can't deal with this and I've told Renee I'll see her back in Phoenix when she's ready." He said it matter of factly and I knew nothing I said now would change his mind. So I continued on towards Carlisle's chair and nodded at him once I was seated.

"I'm sorry to hear that Phil, but I do understand." I said it softly, he was itching for this to turn into a fight and it was one I didn't want to have.

"Do you? Do you really understand at all what you've done here? What you've done to Renee?" He was raising his voice a little with each separate word but I was determined to let him speak his mind but not engage him.

"Yes, I do understand that."

"But you don't care, right? You wanted Bella and now you've got her and that's all that matters to you, right?" He stood and put his hands on the back of the chair and leaned over the table towards me.

"I know you don't believe that Phil." I was still speaking quietly, but I was getting angry.

"You're so fucking self righteous, all of you are. You think you know everything because you've lived a long time. You think you're better than us because you've got money. You all creep around like you're hurting, like we are, but I know all this is just a means to an end for you. She's like you know, that was the goal, so you win Eddie. So you can stop being so fucking smug now." He wiped his face with his hands and rubbed his neck like Charlie did, but I knew he wasn't finished. He had things he needed to say to me, I was happy to indulge him because I knew he would soon leave and I'd never have to deal with him ever again. "She's just a kid. Even if your freak of a sister could see that in one of her insane 'visions', that one day Bella would be like you, why didn't you just let her have her childhood for a bit? Why did you pick now? When she should be off with a nice boy having first kisses and sneaky holding hands she's here with you freaks." He swept his hand around himself. "All this, this isn't what a seventeen year old girl wants. They want dresses and make up and movies and sleepovers. Not hanging around with mental patients and deranged super model mechanics. You've taken all that from her now. She'll never get it back. So don't tell me you understand what she's just sacrificed for you you smug bastard. She might love you and Renee might think you're some sort of all knowing, all seeing angel, but I see you for what you are you sick fuck."

He was thinking about what I'd told him about imprinting, how I'd first met Bella at age five. He'd stopped listening soon after that and had never really bothered to learn what it all meant.

"_If that gets any more heated I'm coming up there." _Jasper said in his head.

"_If he fucking calls Alice a freak again I'll kill him myself." _Emmett was thinking.

"_We'll kill him and put him the Volvo and throw it off the pier Ed." _Rose was suggesting, most helpfully considering I was trying very, very hard to keep my temper in check.

"I can see why you'd see me as sick Phil, I do understand that." I waited till he stopped pacing and he sat back down in the chair.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, you understand how I feel. Right. Try and understand this then. She would be better off dead than surrounded by you freaks. We could've just buried her and Renee would've grieved and we could've moved on. Now she's gonna be stuck knowing her kid is an animal." He spat the last word at me across the desk.

I slammed my hands down, palms first so as to not damage the wood, on Carlisle's desk and stood, pushing the chair away from me with the back of my knees. I wanted, oh so badly, to leap across the table and pummel him for his filthy words but instead I chanted that he was just upset, he was hurt, and that this was Bella's step father and she loved him.

I drew in a long, calming breath before I spoke. "I do want you to know that Bella can hear us, she can hear like I do now. So you need to be very careful what you say next Phil." I blew the breath I'd been holding out between clenched teeth and I let my eyes show Phil how close I was to losing myself in the rage I felt, he cowered away from the desk slightly, my point had been made so I calmed myself with a sweep of my hand through my hair and began again, softly, "While I can appreciate the pain this has caused you I'd appreciate it if you kept your judgments about Bella, and my sisters, to yourself for the moment. I'm sorry you're leaving us so soon Phil, Bella would have loved to have had you near when she woke up. But I respect your decision. I'll arrange someone to take you to the airport, do you need a flight booked?" I asked.

"I don't want your fucking money." He spat.

Jasper and Emmett were standing at the bottom of the stairs now, both of them pleading with me to let them know that they could come up and sort him out.

"I'm not offering you my fucking money. Though you are more than welcome to it." I roared across the table. I ran my hand through my hair and looked to where Phil now sat open mouthed. "I apologize for my bad language. It was never my intention to lose my temper. Forgive me. I'd like to arrange a ticket for you and to arrange for you to get home safely. That's important to me, and to Bella. Would you like me to keep you informed of her progress at least?" I asked, but I already knew what his answer was going to be.

"No thanks. I'll wait outside till the car comes. Tell your mother, or Esme, or whatever she is, thanks for the food." He stood out of the chair and left the room and I let him go. I was incredulous that he'd leave without first seeing Bella or speaking to Renee, but I knew he would not be swayed. I also knew he wouldn't be at the house when Renee returned. Alice had seen it and I'd just read it in his thoughts. Spineless bastard he was. It was hard to feel sympathy for him but I tried very hard to do just that as I dialed the airline and booked his first class ticket to Phoenix. I arranged a car service to collect him here, now, and another to take him to his house from the airport at the other end.

"_How about we just flog fuck out of him, just for fun?" _Emmett thought as I left Carlisle's study and went back to Bella.

**BPOV**

Phil was leaving, Renee and Charlie were staying. For a split second that knowledge distracted me from the eruption of pain around my chest.

I'd heard the conversation Edward had had with him just now in Carlisle's study.

That was my first indication that my change was coming to an end. I could hear everything. Clearly.

I was slowly being smothered, from the inside out. It was harder and harder to breath under the weight of the pain. Lying on my back, as I was, my lungs felt too heavy for my ribs to support them. I tried to arch my neck and take the pressure off my throat but I was stifled with the pain.

I started to feel a stinging in my eyes and I blinked over and over to clear the foggy mist that covered them. I looked around the room but saw only feint shadows. At least the blackness was gone from me now.

As the shadows cleared I began to see my surroundings far more clearly than I ever had before.

My father's moustache was flecked with grey. My mothers temples too.

I could clearly read the labels on the bottles that lined Alice's dresser.

The thread count on sheets had never interested me, now I could count them for myself.

I could hear and see like a vampire. And yet I burned.

**EPOV**

Charlie and Renee would have to leave very soon. Bella was still in the throes of the last stage, but she was now seeing clearly. I could tell because she shifted her head from side to side and blinked to clear it. I knew she could hear properly now too because she had reacted to me telling Charlie and Renee that it wouldn't be long when they'd first arrived.

Her sense of smell would likely be next and I needed them to be gone before that happened.

She no longer looked peaceful in the bed. She thrashed from side to side, still fairly silently except for moments of grunting and crying out, and I knew that she must be in great pain. Her hair was matted with sweat and her skin had lost its translucence now that she had taken on the pale white pallor of the damned.

Her lips set in a striking grimace each time her heart rate climbed to a new frenzy.

Alice came into the room and silently told me it was time for Charlie and Renee to leave. I nodded towards them and immediately they both began to cry softly.

In some ways this was going to be harder for them than what had happened in the driveway three days ago. At least now they could sit with her, speak with her, hold her hand. None of us knew when they'd be able to see her next.

I left them to say their goodbyes and stood outside her door with Alice holding my hand.

Alice had already seen, and shown me, how it was going to go for them.

But being here, right now as it was happening was horrible. The anguish in their voices and in their minds was palpable to me. They held each other, then Bella, then each other again. Renee cried and Charlie held her and then he cried himself. They told Bella they loved her and that they'd see her as soon as they could. They promised her that they'd love her regardless of all this, they would always love her. They told her that she should never be afraid to be what she was, that she would always just be Bella to them, nothing more, nothing less, she was the centre of their universe and this wouldn't change that.

Alice choked back a sob as she heard that and I could tell that she was grieving for the parents she didn't remember herself.

Charlie shocked both Alice and I when he leaned over and kissed his daughter on the cheek and told her he'd be dreaming of the day he could walk her down the aisle to marry me.

They came out of the room, Charlie shook my hand and Renee hugged me – carefully, she was still wary – and they said their goodbyes. Charlie took her home and then it was just Bella and me.

I held her hand while the pain ripped through her chest. Her heart rate was so fast it was a blur.

**BPOV**

I used the sounds of my parents voices as a gauge for how much longer this agony was going to last. If they were saying their goodbyes to me it had to be nearly over.

Edward and Alice were outside the door waiting, I could hear them whispering. Edward was telling Alice to gather everyone once Charlie and Renee were in the driveway. Alice wanted to come in and see me first but Edward insisted she go. He said he didn't want her to have to see this, that it wasn't going to be very nice. Hearing it would be bad enough, he said.

Edward came to sit by me and he took my hand in his once again. He kissed my fingers and then my engagement ring. When he bent over me and kissed the corner of my mouth I noticed the difference in his scent. Gone was his normal spicy mix and in its place was vanilla and a clean linen smell.

It was such a distraction that I hardly noticed when the burn intensified further.

I was starting to smell as a vampire could. And yet I burned.

**EPOV**

As her pain intensified around midnight Tuesday I heard the first feint stirrings of wolves gathering in the forest around my home. I'd warned the others that they would come, they all agreed that it was right for them to be here. They were eager to see Bella reborn and it was important to the pack that their loss be replaced by a rebirth, a renewal of life.

Sam had asked if it would be ok that they simply stand in the forest and observe. They'd come no closer despite me making it clear they were always welcome here.

Her whole body was wracked with spasm after spasm as her heart fought the venom. Her skin was completely white now, no trace of sun or the warmth she used to have were visible to me.

I hung my head at the side of the bed and mourned the loss of her beautiful blush.

Still she did not scream. I begged her to, to release some of the mental agony she must have been feeling, I begged her to verbalize it. Whether she heard and understood me through her pain I had no way to know.

She writhed along the bed, thrashing from side to side, clutching the sheets at her sides with her razor like nails. They'd hardened during the previous night, becoming bright white and taking on a sheen like porcelain. She'd be able to rip and tear and protect herself now, I felt a little relief at that, despite the misery she had to go through to get there.

The bones in her hand had long since healed, she made a perfect fist with it at her side and I knew she was whole again. Her legs and hips had healed first, soon after Carlisle had bitten her, thank god. The perfect crescent shapes were missing now too, faded and absorbed into her luminous skin.

Her hair was now a glossy auburn, it had lightened slightly as the venom took hold of her. It would always fall in long, wavy sheets. No amount of cutting it or straightening it would change it from what it was right now. I was looking forward to decades of being able to wash it, feel it untangle in my fingers. A slight shudder went through me at the thought of that. I was getting ahead of myself, I knew. It might take a decade for Bella to be with me like that again, for her to trust me, if she ever did again.

I'd not allowed myself to think on that, at all. Alice had shown me glimpses of the two of us together after her change, and I'd told Emmett in the clearing that Bella still wanted me afterwards, but Alice's visions were so subjective. Any small decision, or indecision could corrupt what I'd seen previous. The hollow ache in my gut I felt when I thought about Bella going through all this and then our relationship shattering crippled me with my own pain.

"_It's time."_ Alice thought.

I lifted my head off the bed and took one last glance at Bella before I went out into the hall and asked my family to join us.

Alice squeezed my hand on her way in, Esme held her hand over her heart, Rose winked at me.

The two boys clapped me on the back as they came in and Carlisle shook my hand, another silent prayer going through his brain as he took his position at the far end of the room.

We knew from experience that she'd be disoriented, confused, and possibly angry. We were also quite aware that she could be dangerous. Emmett's change had ended that way, he'd lashed out as he came to.

Jasper would do his best to quell that for her, but it was also quite possible that she'd be so unpredictable that they family might, at some point, actually need to defend itself from her.

I looked towards Alice and she again told me that it was time, that Bella could hear me clearly, could see and smell and feel with perfect clarity now.

The only sound in the room was Bella's frantic heart. That and the audible gasp as seven vampires held their collective breath while a newborns heart made its last beat.

**BPOV**

I could smell them all long before I could hear them and feel them in the room with me. They'd all come, all come to watch my human body die.

I knew it was going to now. I could feel it as my heart burst into flames and raced towards its last beat. My chest and back rose off the bed as the four chambers of my heart pulsed out the last vestige of my humanity. As it took its last beat I drew in my last human breath and slumped back onto the bed.

I heard Edward gasp and I knew it was done. I had Edward, forever.

My new world was going to be full of love.

Jacob had taken my human life but he had also given me eternity.

Sam Uley's POV

I gathered my pack at the edge of the forest near the Cullen coven.

I sat Seth between me and Paul and he sat on his behind in the cool grass. He hung his head solemnly and held his breath.

We each stood proud, sure footed as the night shrouded us in its cloying protective veil.

The thoughts of my brothers were silent as we each listened for the last beat of her heart. It would signal she was returned to this earth and it would also mark the end of the reign of our Alpha.

As her chest heaved its last I lifted a paw and signaled my brothers to voice their approval.

Jacob had taken her human life, she was now reborn.

Seth Clearwater's POV

As the howls broke the silence around me I could feel my body begin to shiver.

I was hot, very hot.

A fever had taken me over at the same time that my friend Edward Cullen got his greatest wish.

**Charlie Swan's POV**

I heard the howling and held Renee tighter. We'd both been waiting to hear that horrible sound to know that it was done. Bella had been reborn into a vampire.

Edward had warned me the wolves would be vocal when she woke, told me to ignore it, not to come.

Renee cried out against my chest and for the first time in 15 years she allowed me to bury my face in her hair.

Esme Cullen's POV

My family was now complete.

It was all I'd ever dared to wish for. Five beautiful children had been delivered to me, in fairly quick succession. The sixth had just been born to us proper.

She was the mate my first-born had always wanted, all he'd ever needed, all he'd ever dreamt of.

And now she was his. Now she was mine. She was ours.

And she was perfect.

Jasper Cullen's POV

Her maddening scent was gone, thank the lord, gone. Instead she smelled like me and I could now be near her and not crave her. Everything would be alright.

Alice would be happy again, Edward would get a chance to be truly happy and all the anguish and pain and anger in this house would dissipate and I could function properly again.

I had a new sister, one who would change all our lives forever. Forever. It was a good feeling, forever with Bella and Edward happy.

Rosalie Cullen's POV

They were fools to give up what they had. I was so grateful they loved each other enough to sacrifice it. Bella was ours, she'd be with us forever and she'd make Edward happy forever. I'd learn to deal with the rest, she'd learn to deal with it, and I'd help her.

I looked across at my Emmett and really saw what they were gaining. Each other.

Emmett Cullen's POV

I watched Rose sweep her eyes from my feet to my face and knew she was thinking what I was thinking.

They were together, forever, as we were. They deserved it. It had been so much harder for them than it had been for us. She'd chosen me, saved me, made me what I am. Given me this chance to love her for eternity. I allowed myself a moment to come to grips with the doubts Edward had had to overcome to even be near Bella, not ever knowing if she'd love him as he loved her.

I reached for Rosie's hand and squeezed it as we looked down on our new sister.

Carlisle Cullen's POV

Please god give me the strength to not regret what I've done to her. Please give her the courage to be with us, as we are, and for us to deserve her.

Forgive me all I've done to make my son happy. All I've done to make Esme feel whole.

Please god, forgive me for wanting this for myself.

Thank you, god, for giving us Isabella.

Alice Cullen's POV

I closed my eyes and saw her standing next to Edward in the meadow. She was sparkling in the sunlight and they were smiling broadly.

I opened my eyes and looked down as my new sister was delivered from the pain and given to us to love.

I watched as Edward bent over her and kissed her perfect lips.

In fourteen seconds she'd open her eyes and my family would be perfect.

I loved her, we all did.

**EPOV**

She'd done it. My beautiful girl had borne the change and it was done. I'd have her forever.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Phoenix Rising

**BPOV**

It was such a relief to not be burning that it took me a few seconds to adjust to it.

I twisted my fingers in the sheet tentatively to feel what it was like to now have full control over them. They felt fairly normal, which was surprising.

I flexed my toes and they too felt normal. In fact nearly all of me felt normal.

I'd adjusted to the extra weirdo hearing during the night so it didn't really feel too strange that I could hear the wolves that stood near the river. I could smell them too, though, for the first time, and that was weird. Edward had always told me he could smell when wolves were near so I had expected them to smell a bit funny, but wet dog I wasn't prepared for.

All my senses were heightened now. I opened my eyes and looked around me. It was Alice's room, I could smell her scent and see her things. The faint pink glow from her bathroom shone behind Rose and Emmett as they stood in front of the door. Esme and Carlisle were there too, side by side, standing in front of Alice's dresser. Carlisle was mouthing something, it sounded a little like the prayers he'd been saying at my side for the last few days. Esme was just smiling, like always.

Jasper stood slightly in front of Alice but she was trying to peer over his shoulder at me. She was grinning from ear to ear but he looked in just as much pain as he always did when I was near. That worried me, maybe I hadn't changed properly? What if something had gone wrong and I wasn't 'done'?

That's when I heard his satin smooth voice. "Bella, love, how do you feel?"

I looked to where the voice came from and saw my angel. He was beside the bed looking down at me with concern in his eyes. His fists were clenched at his side and he was a mess. It was the first time I'd ever seen him any way other than immaculate. His hair was far and above its messiest yet. It was in dire need of a wash too, it hung in clumps down his furrowed forehead. The purple bruises under his eyes were stark against his angels face, far more drawn than it should be. His lips seemed pale too, they were set in a serious kind of grimace that seemed so far out of place on his normally serene face. He was breathing heavily too, which reminded me to suck in a breath.

It tasted funny. Sort of wrong. I could taste the things around me, not just the air. I could taste the shampoo in Alice's bathroom. I could taste Edward! My eyes shot to his and I immediately processed his scent with the sight of him. I'd be able to tell it anywhere now, mark him out amongst hundreds, probably thousands, of others. The thought should've made me feel elated, instead I stared into his saddened eyes and began to think about what could've gone wrong.

Why was he so hesitant? Was I hideous? Had it all gone wrong? Was I a mutant now or something?

"Bella, sweetheart, do you feel alright? I know it's confusing." He said in his velvet voice.

I stared up at him for a few moments. His skin was as flawless as it always was to me, but now I saw the haggardness too. He'd not shaved for days, his eyes had no shine in them, and they were a flat black. Like blackboard paint. He looked tired, which I knew was impossible. But he did. He'd not fed for days, I was sure of it. He was still breathing heavily and I began to panic. I was wrong, all wrong, I knew it.

Without really completing the thought in my head I leapt off the bed and went to Alice's mirror. I gasped when I saw myself for the first time.

Gone was the mousy plainness I'd had before. In its place was a striking girl with pale, flawless skin like the others. My bottom lip was still a little too full but both top and bottom lips were a blaze of red. My cheeks were more defined and my nose was straighter and less rounded. My eyebrows were in two perfect arches over my dark framed eyes. Oh my god. My eyes were blood red. My hand flew to my throat and I gasped as I stared myself in the eye.

"They'll fade sweetheart. A few months. They'll fade." Esme whispered beside me kindly.

I nodded.

I turned back to where Edward stood beside the bed, he'd not moved, only shifted around to now face me as I stood with my back to the mirror. His expression looked like one of revulsion. He didn't want me. I was different, changed and he didn't want me now.

"Edward." I heard Alice whisper. I turned to her and she was looking, no, she was glaring at Edward. I looked back to Edward and his face had softened.

"Am I not right?" I asked. My voice startled me. It was much higher, in my head anyway, than it had been. The pitch had changed and sounded richer and more like singing than speaking. I looked to Edward again but he still stood where he was, not moving. He tilted his head to the side, flattened his hands and showed me his palms as he had the night he'd told me what he was and I heard him draw in a long, slow breath.

"You're perfect Isabella. You always were. Now you are even more perfect than I'd ever hoped or dreamt." He said it very quietly and very carefully.

"Why do you look worried?" I asked, trying to modulate my voice so it sounded more like my own. I failed.

"I'm not worried love, I just know its all so confusing and disorienting for you. You're safe, here, with us. We won't hurt you." He said, showing me his palms again.

"I know that Edward. Is it ok if I touch you? You aren't repulsed by me now are you? I know the eyes are a little blurrgh." I stuck my tongue out at the end of the sentence and he dropped his hands and sucked in a breath.

"Do you want to touch me Bella?" He asked, the end of the sentence going up an octave. He was surprised? But why?

I took three steps, quite steadily even for me, and stood in front of him. I reached my hand out in front of me and cupped his cheek. He was warm! My eyes flew open and he smiled down at me, knowing he'd just thought the same thing about me. We were the same temperature! He swung his lips into my palm and kissed it, as he always had, the only thing missing this time was his deep inhale.

"I don't smell like me either, do I?" I asked absently. He shook his head and I hung mine. I wasn't the same. He wouldn't want me now. I wasn't the same Bella he'd fallen in love with. I'd be alone now. For eternity.

"If my family wasn't in the room Isabella I'd …Bella, I love you, only you." He finished.

I smiled up at his beautiful face and he took my hand in his and closed the gap between us. Before he smothered my mouth with his kiss I whispered "I love you too Edward" against his soft mouth. His lips lowered onto mine and I felt his warm, supple lips gently kiss me. It was another first. Our first, true, kiss. As his arms folded around me I looped my foot around his calf and flattened myself against him. The rush of desire that flooded my system as his tongue licked across my bottom lip set me on fire again. I groaned deeply into his mouth as my hands went into his hair. I clung to him and pulled his mouth down onto mine. I bit down onto his tongue and he groaned into my mouth. He put his hands on my ass and pulled me upwards until I was against his hardness. I pushed up to him harder and he took a step back, almost stumbling, until his legs were against the edge of Alice's bed.

Aargh, Alice's bed! This was Alice's room, we weren't alone. When Emmett coughed I let my hands drop to my sides and I took a step away from Edward. I kept my hand in his and turned my face up to see his, he was grinning to himself in a very, very smug way.

"Sorry." I muttered in his direction.

"I'm bloody not." He crowed, throwing his head back and laughing. Emmett snorted his approval and Carlisle laughed softly.

Jasper, however, still stood stock still with a scowl on his face like he was in pain.

"Jaz, what's wrong?" I asked quietly.

He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts and Edward tugged gently on my hand. I looked to Edward and then to Jasper, then back to Edward, but I couldn't work out what was wrong.

"You shouldn't be this in control love, that's all. Jasper was prepared to have to help you with all this, but it's confusing for us all that you just don't seem to need it. That's all. Don't be afraid." Edward said, slipping his arm around my waist.

"Oh Jaz, that's so sweet. Thank you for wanting to help me." I took a step toward him, Edward let me go, and I hugged Jasper tightly around his middle for the first time. He stiffened slightly when I tightened my arms around his waist and he felt a bit hesitant, but after a few seconds he relaxed and hugged me back.

"Are you truly ok Bella?" He asked against my hair.

I pulled back away from him, but still held his waist and nodded. "Yeah, I really am. I feel a bit weird, but I think I'm ok." He looked me over from head to toe and shook his head again, only this time he wore a wide smile.

"You're amazing kiddo." He laughed.

At the sound of my father's pet name for me I flew around and searched the room. He wasn't here, thank god. I looked to Edward and he nodded. "Whenever you're ready you just call them love. They're ok. I promise." I let myself relax a little at that.

"I don't want them here, you know?" I put my head on the side hoping he'd understand my meaning. He came to me and took both my hands in his, kissed my fingers and said of course he understood.

"I think we should leave them for a bit everyone. I'm sure they've got a lot to talk about. Bella, I'm so glad you're feeling well again now. We'll talk soon, I'm sure." Carlisle kissed me on my forehead and he held the door open for the others.

Esme patted my cheek and kissed me before she slipped out of the room. Jasper was right behind her, having already hugged me. Emmett hugged me tightly and said he was so pleased to see me up and about again. Rose whispered welcome back into my ear as she hugged me, which blew me away and then I was standing in front of Alice. She was bouncing from foot to foot and smiling up at me with the sweetest grin.

"Hey." She said quietly.

"Hey." I replied. She slipped her hand into mine and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"So, we'll talk later, yeah?" she asked.

"Yeah." I grinned. Then she kissed my cheek and was gone, closing the door behind herself.

Edward came up behind me and slipped his hands around my waist, holding me tightly to his chest. He put his lips to my ear and whispered, "Shall we hunt Isabella?" I shivered and nodded. I was terrified and had no idea what I was supposed to do, but the clawing thirst that was nagging at my psyche told me I needed to do this, and fast.

**EPOV**

I knew she was terrified and overwhelmed. I was so fucking grateful that she still wanted me I felt giddy with it. I wanted to lock us into this room and not leave for a month. But I knew she was going to be hurting if we didn't go soon.

"I don't know what to do," she whispered as my lips found her neck once again.

I turned her around and held her close to me once again. I stroked her hair and took a long pull at her new scent. It was already seeping into me, making me want her. I tried to put that part of our relationship aside as I concentrated on what she needed right now.

"I'll help love. We should go, I don't want you to suffer with your thirst." I pressed another kiss to her temple and she stiffened in my arms. I pulled away a little to see what was worrying her.

"I'm not thirsty Edward." She bit her bottom lip and my heart melted all over again. How could she not be thirsty? Was something else bothering her? She seemed distressed but I couldn't fathom what her need was.

"What is it, love? What is it you need? I'll do whatever you need." I said hurriedly.

"You." She said into my chest.

"I'm here Bella. I won't leave you. I'm never going to leave you, I promise." I thought she was worried I'd leave her alone to hunt.

"No Edward. I need you. Now." she whispered and my breath caught in my lungs.

She couldn't be serious?

"I don't understand. How can you not be thirsty? Are you mistaking your thirst for desire? They are very similar things Bella, the need for one can override the desire for the other. How about we get outside and you can decide what it is you want. I really don't want you to have to suffer the misery of being thirsty my love." I was worried she was just confused, or dazed or even not quite ready to be up and about. Perhaps a few more hours of rest and she'd be ready to assuage her most basic of hungers. Maybe she had a little residual blood left in her system and it had not quite caught up with her yet.

She pulled herself out of my arms and stood a few feet away chewing on her bottom lip. She looked about ready to cry. What had I done? What had upset her?

I went to her and tilted her chin so I could see her eyes. "What is it?" I asked, terrified. What if something had gone wrong with her change?

"You don't want me now, do you? This was all for nothing if I've lost you now." she whimpered.

Oh. I see. I lifted her hand to my lips and kissed her engagement ring. "Bella, sweetheart. I do want you, desperately. These past days have been agony for me. Not being able to talk to you or hold you. I just want to take care of you now. To give you what you need. I do. And if that includes that, well, that's what you can have. But I know that at some point your thirst is going to come to you and you'll be hurting for it. Anything we can do, right now, to prevent that will be worth it in the long run. You need to trust me Bella, trust me that you need this and then you can have whatever you want of me after. Ok, love?" I put a stray strand of hair behind her ear and she nodded grimly.

"Ok Edward," she said sadly.

I tilted her chin again and made her look at me. "Bella, please believe me when I say this. You have no idea how much restraint I am exercising right now. If I was to kiss you right now we'd never leave this room, I want you, even more than I did before if that's at all possible. And I promise, as soon as we get back here I'll make good on this promise. I've not hunted for three days either love, I need to as well. Will you hunt with me Bella?" I held out a hand to her and she put hers in mine.

"Ok Edward." She grinned this time.

**BPOV**

Every time he said the word hunt my throat burned with it. I knew he was right, there was time enough for everything else after I'd assuaged this thirst.

I just needed to know that he wanted me, all else would wait.

He led the way out of the room and I found that I could easily keep up with the staggering pace he set. We were down the stairs across the living room and out the backdoor in half a second. I gripped his hand tightly, still not used to my newfound stability.

We stood on the back porch looking out across to the river. I was nervous, not knowing how to do what I needed to do.

"Would you like to run? I could carry you, you can hop up here?" He put his hand up his back. I shook my head, no.

"Will you hold my hand?" I asked and a broad grin spread across his beautiful face.

"Always." He kissed my fingers and tugged me off the porch. I was vaguely aware of the family at the kitchen window watching me, we'd just passed them as we ran out of the house just now. I didn't want to make a dickhead of myself on my first run, so I gritted my teeth and tried to concentrate as I took my first few steps onto the grass. I looked down and saw that I wasn't wearing any shoes. I looked to Edward and he wasn't wearing any either.

My first few strides were quite short, just finding my reach.

As we neared the tree line I arched my back a little and stretched each stride out further. My muscles stretched with me and before long we were running, full tilt towards the river. My eyes could make out every twig and branch, every rock and curve of the line we ran. As we flew over the ground our steps settled into an easy rhythm. I was prepared to be tired when we reached the jetty, so I stopped at the end of it and waited for my muscles to groan or give up their familiar ache. But they didn't. I looked down at myself and realized I'd never be tired again, ever. I could run and run and never need to rest. I looked up at Edward and smiled widely.

"That was fantastic!" I cried.

"Sublime." He crowed, bowing his head to kiss the corner of my mouth. I felt my breath hitch and I reached up to cup his cheek. I ran my tongue over my bottom lip and thought about his lips on mine, his tongue tracing my lower lip, his hands on my body. "Come back to me Bella." He smirked.

"Oops, sorry. I got distracted." I giggled.

"Later" he breathed into my ear and I shivered. "For now we'll run along the edge of the river. What do you hear Bella?" He asked.

I stood still and listened. "I hear Emmett bitching about missing my first hunt." I laughed.

"Yeah, well, he gets pissy about stuff like that. Concentrate love, what do you hear out here?" He motioned toward the forest that stretched out along the length of the river.

I tried to ignore the voices from the house and instead I listened for any other life that might be out here. I could hear the faint snuffling noise of something large to my left and I nodded that way. Edward grinned and nodded and grabbed my hand. We ran maybe two miles, following the curve of the river, before we came across a small group of black tailed deer. I was about to run into the small clearing where they were grazing when Edward put a hand on my shoulder pulling me to a stop. He held a finger to his lips to get me to be quiet and then he stood in front of me and put his hands on my shoulders. Leaning towards me so he could whisper he said, "We are down wind. You'll need to come at them from there," he pointed a finger at the break in the trees and I nodded, "stay low to the ground and only approach the adults. We leave the young ones to grow so we don't over hunt in one place." I nodded and felt a surge of adrenalin as I watched the big buck dip his head to graze on the grasses. "Don't be afraid, there is no right or wrong Bella. Do what you feel."

He took a few steps back and away from me and I waited until he was leaning up against a tree before I began my approach. I was nervous and embarrassed to have to do this with him here, he was such a seasoned hunter I hated the idea that he'd laugh at me if I fucked this up.

As I came to the break in the trees all those thoughts fled from me as the scent came to my nose. My throat scorched and I could feel the first faint hint of venom on my tongue. I sucked it back and came to terms with its taste. It wasn't acidic like it was when I was a human, it tasted salty and a little like Gatorade. I tried hard not to giggle at that thought as I watched my prey through the last of the trees that protected them from me. Automatically I hunched into a crouch as I approached as quietly as I could. There were four adults and two young fawns. They smelled a little gross but I was so hungry I'd have eaten anything at this point and they were the only available food source for miles by the lack of sound and scent from the forest. 'Concentrate Bella' I said to myself as I watched them munching.

I played eenie-minee-moe with the four adults and picked out one that I'd go for and settled into my crouch further. I felt my hands clenching at my sides and my feet putting themselves in a position to spring when I was ready.

I swallowed another gob of venom and then I sprang.

I launched myself out from between two trees startling the group. The females looked straight at me and began to gather the young and flee. The males hesitated a moment, prepared to defend their females and that sealed the fate of the big one. He made to run after the others but I leapt onto his throat and flung him to the ground. He landed in my lap with a thud. I prepared myself for the pain of his huge body crushing mine as I lay beside him - half under him - on the ground, but it never came.

I splayed my fingers across his neck and felt for the pulse I could see and smell and then I pulled my head back and exposed my teeth and sunk them into his warm flesh. The rush of blood down my throat felt like the elixir of life. It spurted hot and thick into my waiting mouth and I groaned in satisfaction as it coated my palate. I closed my eyes and savored the flavour of it. It was salty too, like my venom, and as it began to slow I already missed the loss of it. It felt like seconds as I drank but it could've been an hour, I didn't know. I lost myself in the sensation of quenching this thirst. I hugged the body closer to me, pulling it further into my lap and I gripped its neck in my lips, sucking harder to have more from it. The flow began to abate and it quelled to a trickle, I lapped at it and sighed loudly. As the buck's body gave me it's last essence I threw its carcass off me and stood at its side. I wiped my hand across my lips and looked down at my hand and saw the red stain that gathered there. I turned my hand over and over and looked at the blood. I always imagined I'd be horrified having to do this, but right now, in this moment, I wasn't. It was no different than going to the supermarket and buying steak. Sue, it was more like going straight to the source, but not much different.

I wiped my hands on my dress and looked down at the red stain. Oops, Alice would kill me, I giggled.

I looked towards the tree where Edward had stood but he was gone. I closed my eyes and listened around me, a slight panicked feeling, hoping he'd not left me here on my own. I soon found him via his scent. I opened my eyes and saw him standing at the far end of the clearing. He was hovering over another deer, a smaller one than I'd just had. He nodded to it and then stepped back into the trees. I ran to where he'd just stood and looked down at the animal. Its eyes were glassy but it was alive. He'd snapped its neck for me. I fell on it hungrily and drank. I closed my eyes again as the warm fluid saturated my mouth and throat. A low, satisfied grumble rose out of my throat as I drank from it. But much too soon it was also lying lifeless at my feet.

I wiped my mouth again and put a hand to my throat. It was true, I felt better for it, but I wondered if the slight ache would ever truly disappear.

"It will get better, love. We'll hunt often this first few years and you'll get used to it, I promise." Edward said quietly as he came out from between the trees. I watched him walk to towards me and he seemed cautious again.

"Thank you, for that," I nodded towards the carcass on the grass. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"Hmm mm." He said noncommittally.

"What is it? Did I do something wrong?" I watched his face as a huge smile spread across his glorious lips.

"Never. It was just a bit, umm, strange for me to watch you do that." He nodded slightly in towards the clearing and I grinned.

"Was it ok? I wasn't very good at it was I? Too loud, a bit too rough. I've ruined this dress." I looked down at the blood and grass stains on what used to be a pretty white dress.

"It was perfect Isabella, you're perfect." He closed his eyes as he said it and I smiled broadly.

"Thank you." I whispered as my desire for him spread. "What about you? Do you need something yourself Edward?" I asked.

"I caught the big female as she ran from you, love. I'm fine. I need less than you do right now. Do you want to go and find something else, the carnivores out in the deeper forest are more satisfying, do you need more right now?" He asked, coming to stand beside me.

I put my hand up to my throat and felt the slight burn and shook my head. "No. I'm good. But later, can we come out again later if I need to?"

He took my hand in his and said of course we could. We could do whatever I wanted.

"Edward, can we go back and have a shower?" He nodded that we could. "Good because baby, you look like shit."

**EPOV**

"You'll pay for that Miss Swan." I swatted at her and she ran off ahead of me. I could've easily caught her but I knew better than to chase a newborn vampire through the forest on her first run. What would start out as a game would end in a fight and I didn't want to have to hurt her or defend myself.

So I let her run ahead. It would only take us a few minutes to get back to the house at this pace and I knew she was loving every second of it. She ran so fluidly, like she was decades old. She'd hunted the same way, with good instincts and skills. I knew the basic need for blood and how to get it was all instinct, but she'd listened to me and her first kill had been a clean and easy one. I felt better knowing she'd fed and that for now, at least, she'd be contented.

I watched her run and felt a heady surge of pride. She was a natural. She showed no hesitation with the family and she seemed happy and at ease with what had happened to her. I knew we had a long road ahead, being reborn to this life was a complicated mental process, but for now she was happy and so was I.

We came to the edge of the yard and she ran without restraint up the back porch, through the back door and into the kitchen. She greeted Esme as she always had and I marveled again at the ease with which she had come to this family.

"We're going to get cleaned up, see you later." She called over her shoulder as she ran up the stairs to my room. My stomach clenched in anticipation as I entered the back door myself.

"Hey." I said to Esme.

"How did she go?" Esme asked.

"She's perfect." I whispered. "See you later?" I asked, grinning.

"Mmm hmmm. Much later." Esme giggled. But I was already halfway up the third floor stairs before she finished the last syllable.

I could already hear the water in my shower running.

I stood at the doorway to my bedroom and drew in a breath. Could I just go in and join her now? Should I? Logically I thought I could, I mean, we were engaged. We'd made love a few days ago. Fuck, I'd had her in the actual shower a few days ago. But now everything was different, she was different. She'd said she wanted me earlier, but maybe we'd have to learn about each other again. I knew my feelings hadn't changed, in fact they'd intensified now that she was less breakable, I could indulge my fantasies now, but I didn't know what she was feeling.

I stood in the doorway running my hands through my hair trying to decide which family member I should go to for advice when she came to the bathroom door and said, "Are we going to start again, again?" She giggled at the end and I knew she was referring to having to ask me that, in my car, the day after I'd told her what I was.

"No Isabella, we aren't going to have to start again." I grinned back at her and went into my bathroom.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Firsts

**BPOV**

He was nervous and so was I. Not as nervous as that first time, but enough for it to feel strange to be naked in front of each other again.

I wasn't yet too sure about my new body, it felt sort of the same, but different. I knew that made no sense but it's how I felt.

I stood on the bath mat and steeled myself to have this conversation, again.

"Can we go in in our underwear? Is that weird?" I asked in a small voice.

He came and stood with me and put a gentle kiss at my temple, "It's not weird. You feel different, your body feels different. I understand love. I truly do. There's no hurry, we have forever Bella." As he said the word forever my heart clenched tight. It was true, we now had forever. Nothing would take me from him or him from me. I threw my arms around his shoulders and kissed him soundly on his beautiful lips. Immediately my desire ignited and I wanted him. He stumbled backwards and hit his backside against the vanity.

"Oops, sorry." I giggled, stepping back as he groaned.

"You're a bit stronger than me love, for now, anyway." He laughed.

I decided funny was good, it would help ease the situation a bit, so I did what I would've done a few days ago and I made a joke. I cupped his cheek with the palm of my hand and looked deep into his eyes. I settled the most serious expression on my face that I could muster and whispered, "I'll be quick this one time because it's going to hurt you love." And then I patted his cheek and stuck out my tongue.

I thought he'd laugh, I really did. I wasn't prepared for what he did.

**EPOV**

She did not just say that to me! There is no way my Isabella would taunt me like that. With a straight face too! The little minx!

I backed her up so she was against the end wall of the bathroom. I pressed myself into her hip and growled into her ear as I bit down on the lobe. "It _will_ be quick this one time because I need you so fucking bad Bella." I bit down on her neck, where I'd bitten her that one time, and she shuddered under my touch.

I pulled away slightly and tugged her back onto the bath mat. I put my fingers at the base of her throat, where the two sides of her dress met with a row of little buttons. I slid a fingernail between the top button and its hole and slid my finger the length of the dress, slicing the material easily. She gasped as the dress fell to her feet. I looked her over, from feet to eyes and then I let a lazy grin spread across my face.

"You're fucking perfect." I croaked out, my throat thick with venom and desire.

She let her head fall back slightly as she sighed, closing her eyes. She stood before me in a pair of white cotton panties and a matching bra. What caught my breath in my throat was her tattoo. I'd not seen it for a few days, certainly not since her change had been complete. I stared at it openly now. It was lighter, a buttery colour. It reminded me of my own eye colour a little. Softer though. She furrowed her brows and stepped sideways so she could see it for herself in the mirror at my back.

"Oh." Was all she said as she stared at it. Fuck it was beautiful. The black ink against her pale flesh had been gorgeous before, now that it was the colour of my eyes it was fucking magnificent.

She was the perfect mix of innocence and wantonness.

"Get in." I nodded towards the shower and she opened the door and stepped under the hot water. She pressed the pad for the rainwater and it hissed to life as she waited under it.

I pulled what was left of my putrid shirt off over my head and threw it on the floor with the rag that was now her dress. I kept my jeans on, I had no underwear on having dressed hurriedly god knows how many days ago now.

She raised an eyebrow at them as I stepped into the shower but said nothing. Her eyes were hooded and her breathing was labored. I knew what she wanted, needed, because it was what I needed too.

We took up what was obviously going to be our designated ends of the shower and let the hot water rush over us for a few minutes. The last time we'd been in here her human scent had overwhelmed me, now her vampire one did. I closed my eyes and drank it in.

**BPOV**

I watched as Edward closed his eyes and took a deep breath in. I didn't feel the need to breath so I hadn't really done it at all since I'd woken, but now I did as he did. I closed my eyes and took a long, hard pull. Warmed vanilla and clean linen, it was intoxicating. I opened my eyes and caught him staring at me with his mouth agape. I stepped towards him and melted into the kiss and his arms.

Nothing had changed, he felt the same, only warmer to me now. A little softer maybe, but he was the same angel I'd held in my arms three days ago.

This kiss was different though. It was obvious from its intensity that he'd had to hold back when I was human, he'd had to protect me from this then. Now he gave to me freely all that he had. His tongue was insistent against my lips and I parted them and took it into my mouth hungrily. He groaned as I slid mine against his teeth, no longer worried about his venom. I wanted to taste it, to see what it was like on my own lips and tongue now. While my venom tasted salty his tasted sweet on my tongue. Like nectar. I lapped at it and he groaned into my open mouth.

I held his head in my hand at the back of his neck, my fingers tugging at his hair. He had both his hands at my hips, holding me up against his chest. He felt warm and soft against me as we swayed under the rainwater head. Not having to breath was magnificent, I could suckle his tongue with my lips and didn't ever have to stop to take a breath.

He pulled his face away from mine and covered my cheeks and neck with tiny kisses. When he came to my ear he whispered, "This will be over before it began if we don't slow down." I grinned. Indeed.

I took a step back and reached for his shampoo. I put a little into my palm and asked if I could wash his hair. I'd always wanted to do it for him but before he never trusted himself to be able to handle it, citing his lack of an exit strategy if he got onto his knees in here. Now, however, we were free to do whatever we wanted. I felt my desire pool between my legs as I watched him sink to his knees on the floor of the shower. Edward in low-slung jeans always tugged at my inner core, Edward in low slung sopping wet jeans on his knees before me was fucking miraculous!

He tilted his head back and stared into my eyes as I hovered over him. I sucked in a breath as he put his head on my belly and steadied himself with his hands on my hips.

I rubbed the shampoo between my fingers and then spread them across his scalp. He moaned softly as I massaged his glorious hair. It was darker when it was wet and it was thick and smooth as it flowed through my fingers again and again as I got a good lather up. I bit my bottom lip as he tilted his head back under the water to let the soap run away. He kept his eyes shut but was biting his bottom lip too as I curved my fingers across the back of his neck to scoop water up to take away the soap.

"That's so good baby." He crooned as I soaped him up again. Now that his hair was clean the lather was richer and I reveled in the thick mass of bubbles that fell down his back as I massaged him. He moaned and groaned and sighed against my belly as I squeezed my fingertips into his scalp.

When the last of the bubbles had flowed down his back and chest and the water ran clear he began kissing my belly, softly at first, feather light kisses that tickled and taunted me. He dug his thumbs into my hipbones and held me steady while he lapped at the water that cascaded down my front. His eyes closed he ran his tongue along the elastic of my panties and I hissed. He grinned up at me, and asked for me to please hand him his soap. His soap, not mine. Oh my.

**EPOV**

Bella took a little step backwards and reached for the cake of soap on the shelf. She dropped it into my waiting hand and I began to rub it between my trembling palms. With my face so close to her heat I could smell her, taste her on my tongue already and I was about ready to throw her down and take her. It was maddening, trying to go slow, make it last.

I let the soap fall to the floor of the shower and I ran my now lathered hands up her legs and up the inside of her thighs. She moaned deeply and spread her legs a little. I started at her knees this time and ran both my hands the length of her thighs, letting my pinkie fingers lightly graze the sopping wet crotch of her knickers. They were wet from the water too, but it was mostly Bella's sweet essence that coated the cotton. She gasped as I did it again and I knew what she needed now. I couldn't force myself to go slowly, I needed her, badly, and I'd take my time next time, once this ache was sated.

I hooked my thumbs into the waistband and pulled the panties from her legs roughly, tossing them to the floor. She put her hands on my shoulders and held herself steady as I buried my nose into her heat.

She cried out when my tongue found her swollen clit for the first time and I matched her cry for cry, as I tasted her on my tongue. I used my fingers to spread her lips apart a little and I ran my tongue from bottom to top along her glistening folds. She stumbled backwards as the sensation took her over. She was fisting handfuls of my hair now and I was aching in my jeans for her.

"Edward, please. I need you." She moaned as I slid a finger inside while I suckled her pulsating clit into my mouth. I hummed my agreement and she bucked her hips into my mouth harder as the rumbling from my throat slid across her bud.

I let her clit go and growled "Cum for me first Bella, I know I won't last long enough this first time." Then I took it back into my mouth and grazed my teeth across it lightly.

She arched her back, pushing herself onto my fingers and tongue harder and I felt the first clench of her inner muscles as her pleasure heightened towards its peak. I slipped a second finger into her and felt her juices flood my hand as she came. She screamed my name over and over and held onto my hair and shoulders as the orgasm ripped through her body.

As the pulsing on my fingers subsided I slid them out of her and stood, taking her in my arms. I walked her back towards her end of the shower and pushed the pad to stop the water. She looked at me in surprise and I grinned down at her.

I walked with her out of the door and let it close behind me.

I turned her to face me and gripping her waist tightly with my hands, I sat her onto the vanity unit.

When she was sat squarely on the edge of it I took her bra between my teeth at the juncture of her breasts and sliced through it with my teeth. It fell aside and I slipped it off her pale shoulders. I ran both my thumbs over her nipples in turn and watched her mouth form a little 'o' as she arched her back.

"You're so beautiful Bella. I love you so much." I whispered as my mouth closed over her nipple.

"Oh Edward, I love you too." She moaned as I switched sides, taking her left nipple between my teeth and thumbing her right one. I cupped her whole breast with my palm and ran my thumb over her tattoo. It felt a little raised, as if it was in 3D. I looked down at it and saw it change colour as I thumbed her nipple again. It was getting darker under my touch! I gasped as it turned inky black.

"Bella, look." I said with a shaky voice.

"Like your eyes." She whispered.

I laved my tongue across it again and felt it raise further in my mouth. Oh my god. Her tattoo had just reacted to me!

I'd never been so turned on in my entire existence.

**BPOV**

I'd felt it change in the shower as he tongued my clit but couldn't say anything. I was too taken up with the intense feelings to mention it. I knew he'd find out for himself soon enough.

I'd felt my tattoo change as I had gone through the different stages of my own change. It had raised the further into the pain I went. At one point it felt like my new venom was trying to push the ink out of my skin.

I knew it was going to be different than it had been when I was human but I'd not been prepared for the topaz colour it had changed to when Edward showed me.

It was the exact colour his eyes had been that first day I'd met him in Biology.

I didn't know it would change colour though, that had been a surprise too. I thought it would just stay the caramel colour now, but as Edward tongued my nipple and the tattoo itself it became darker, as did his eyes as his desire built.

Something else was different now too. When Edward lost himself just now, between my legs, I could hear a faint trace of his mental voice. I'd tried hard to concentrate on it, rather than the intensity of the pleasure he'd been giving me, but I couldn't. I hoped with a little practice I'd be able to isolate it, and perhaps one day read him better.

I pushed my hands into his hair and held his tongue to my breast. I needed him, needed to feel him inside me. I needed relief from this ache between my legs and I knew he needed it too. I dragged his head, using my hands in his hair, up to my mouth and I took his tongue between my lips and sucked. He groaned deeply into my mouth and I pulled him closer to me, spreading my knees so he was pressed hard up against my centre as I wiggled further onto the edge of the vanity.

I wrapped my ankles around his waist and held him there. He ground his hips into me and I felt him shudder as I dug my nails into his back.

"You're over dressed Edward." I moaned into his ear as I kissed my way down his neck and across his shoulder.

He hissed as he let me go and took the step backwards. He popped the button on his jeans and quickly slid out of them. No boxers, mmm.

His cock sprang free from his jeans and I moaned as he came to stand back between my legs. He no longer felt cool at my lips, instead he was warm and hard and oh so good. He took my throat between his lips and I felt his teeth graze my skin ever so lightly. He was asking my permission.

There would be no code words now, never again would he have to pull away from me.

So I used the word I knew he was waiting for. I pulled his face to mine, ran my tongue over his bottom lip and growled "Mine" into the corner of his lips.

**EPOV**

I put my hands firmly behind her and dragged her sopping wet pussy closer to the edge of the vanity, as she growled 'mine' into my mouth I shoved forward and pushed my entire length into her in one stroke.

The roar that leapt out of my throat startled even me. She hissed and scratched and clawed at my skin as I pounded myself into her fully. I didn't need to be careful now, I could have her exactly as I'd always wished. Without reservation.

I used my palms to pull her hips to meet my thrusts and she whimpered my name as I plunged into her again and again.

"God Bella, so…good…so so…oh god." I cried into her mouth as she rode me.

"More…take me…make me yours… only yours…oh…yes…there…again." She was answering my unspoken thoughts, I needed her to tell me it was me, only me that could make her feel this way, she cried it out as I rocked back and forth inside her. I slipped my feet apart a little further and ground my hips into her from lower and when she bit my tongue and hissed into my mouth, I knew I'd hit my mark. "Fuck Edward, there…yes…oh yes…take me with you…" she panted into my shoulder as I ground my fingers into her ass cheeks.

My lips found her neck and I spread them across a sizeable chunk of her flesh, I bared my teeth and sunk them into her as my orgasm ripped through my gut then my balls and into her hot centre. She threw her head back and gripped my head with both her hands and pulled my mouth down harder onto her throat. I bit harder and she bucked her hips once more before I felt her clench around my cock. I pulsed into her with hot spurts as she came undone around me.

I stilled my thrusts as she rode her climax, swaying into me as she milked the last drop from me.

I let her skin go with a loud thwacking noise and collapsed against her shoulder.

She let go of my hair and kissed me up my neck and up to my ear.

"I love you Edward. Mine." she whispered.

"I love you too. Forever." I replied, kissing her lightly on her swollen lips.

I could still taste her in my mouth, could smell her on my fingers even four hours later when we were running along the edge of the Capitol Forest hunting. I wanted her, again.

We'd stepped back under the shower after our effort on the vanity. I'd held her tenderly in my arms and we'd talked and kissed and hugged and it had been perfect. She'd let me wash her hair this time and we'd told each other over and over how much we loved the other.

We'd taken our time drying each other with the enormous towels and she'd let me brush out her hair as she dried it. It was a phenomenal feeling, grooming her that way. Taking care of her. I bought her some clean clothes and we got dressed, side by side, in my room. We both sniggered when we looked at the huge bed, standing there in the middle of the room. Neither of us ever needed to sleep ever again, what would we do with ourselves?

"Will I live here, with you now?" Bella asked shyly once we were dressed.

"If you want to love, only if you want to." I held her hand in mine and kissed her engagement ring. "You can have the guest room until after we're married, if you prefer." I grinned against her hand.

She seemed to think on it for a bit and then she grinned. "Can I share your space with you? Is that okay for you, before we're married, I mean?"

I took her in my arms and buried my lips in her neck and throat. "Yes Bella, that's okay for me. More than okay, it's all I've ever dreamed of." I kissed my way down her neck, parting the collar on her shirt so that I could kiss the now rust colored tattoo once again. "I am fairly bursting to marry you, but for now it's okay love." I kissed my way back up to her lips and held her close.

"Ok, so I'll bring my stuff here then." She giggled, kissing me back.

"Your tattoo is changing color again, what's this color mean love?" I patted her shirt over her heart.

"No idea, I've not seen it that color myself yet either." She shrugged.

"I think it might be linked to how you are feeling. When you were changing it was still black but once you woke it was a buttery colour. But when we were in the shower just now it was black again. That help at all?" I asked.

"Maybe. It was black when I was human and it didn't change at all, ever. Not that I noticed anyway. It was that softer butter color when I woke up, so maybe that's going to be it's normal color. I know why it was black in the shower, so were your eyes." She giggled. "The only thing, besides wanting you again, that I'm feeling now is thirsty." She grimaced.

"Oh, sorry love. Of course, we'll hunt now. Butter means content, black means desire, red means hunt. How apt." I chuckled.

We'd run for about twenty minutes, flat out, to the South until we'd come to the edge of the Capitol Forest where we'd come riding that day. We'd held hands the whole way, I never wanted to let her go, despite her being slightly faster than me, for now.

As much fun as it had always been for me to run with Bella perched on my back it was nothing to the sheer joy of running beside her. She floated above the ground like the mythical creature she was. Her hair flailed out behind her like a thick, dark cloud. She squealed with joy and tugged at my hand to go faster and faster as we flew along the trails and paths that led deep into the forest.

I could smell the larger animals already and I knew she would be able to soon too, so I slowed a little and she followed suit, looking back at me to see why.

I came to a stop at the beginning of a new trail and put my finger to my ear, telling her to stop and listen.

She slipped easily into a crouch when she heard it, a large bobcat off to the West about half a mile away. A grin spread across her beautiful face and her hand flew to her throat as she flared her nostrils and drank in its scent. She was thirsty, poor love.

I nodded in the direction of the animal and she sped off into the forest.

I knew better than to follow too closely to a newborn. I didn't need to hunt myself, so I hung back, letting her have her head, she'd come to no harm now.

**BPOV**

This smelled better than the deer at least. It was big, whatever it was. I could smell it but not see it yet. I could hear it though, it was stalking something itself. The sound was higher up than on the ground where I was, so when I was a quarter of a mile away from the sound I switched to the trees around me. I leapt from branch to branch from tree to tree until I could see it.

It was a bobcat and it was a fat little bugger too.

It was lying along a branch swinging it's tail as it watched a pair of white tailed deer feeding in the long grass forward of its position. It was almost ready to pounce on the mother deer when I sprang from my own perch and we fell to the ground with a thud. I knew that the fall wouldn't bother me this time, I'd learned that on the hunt this morning, so I let the ground meet me with the bobcat in my lap as we fell.

It was clawing at me and I had only a split second to latch my teeth onto its neck as it lashed out fully. As its thick, hot essence sprayed into my mouth I groaned. It was much nicer than the deer had been this morning, richer, meatier if possible. I closed my eyes as it flowed. I was surprised how much there was, more than the deer. And it was hotter. It warmed me from the inside as I drank it down hungrily. As the flow began to ebb I pursed my lips to the puncture wounds and slurped the last of it up through my teeth. I threw the carcass aside and sprang back to my feet, wiping my hand on my mouth as I had done this morning. This time I was pleased to see no stain on my hand. Much cleaner this time. And I was proud of myself.

**EPOV**

Nothing could arouse me faster than the site of my future wife draining the life from a bobcat. Her lips held it snuggly to her mouth and as she closed her eyes and drank I sucked in a satisfied breath. She was going to be fine. In fact, she's better than fine now, she was fucking incredible. Only her second ever kill and it was swift, frenzied and clean. She wasted not a drop of the precious liquid. Her eyes were going to be topaz brown in no time at this rate.

I watched as she sprang back to her feet scanning the forest, either for her next meal or me. I was higher up than she had been when she'd surprised the cat so she didn't see me at first. But as her eyes focused on the treetops she spied me and grinned. She gave me a little wave, stopped still, raised her nose to the air and took off to the South again.

She'd obviously smelled something I hadn't, so I followed.

I jumped down from the tree and took the same path she had. I was around two hundred yards behind her when I smelled them. Hikers. We were close to the South border of the park, where it was designated for hikers and horse riders. Fuck.

"Bella!" I bellowed through the trees but she was long gone. I cursed my stupidity and flew off to the right hoping to come at her head on. I ran like I'd never run before in the hope that I'd be able to stop her before she made a terrible mistake.

"Stop!" I roared as I came to the fork in the trail. She stood stock still in the middle of the path, crouched ready to spring. I approached cautiously. I'd heard about vampires who'd been killed because they'd gotten in the way of a newborn and their first kills, so I was careful not to spook her. She was clenching her fists at her sides and a low, menacing growl rumbled through her chest. She was magnificent but I didn't want this on her conscience.

"It's alright love. It's okay." I looked her in the eye and she nodded slightly. Was she placating me? Will she wait till I've moved away a fraction of a yard before she'd spring off into the forest and take them?

"I need to go." She ground out between her teeth. I could see the effort getting the words out had had on her.

"Can you go?" I asked.

She nodded, obviously holding her breath and ran off in a sprint due North.

We ran for a few miles and I saw her slow a little and take a long, deep pull of the cleaner air here before she stopped completely off to the side of a path. She leaned over and heaved in great gulps of air. I knew she didn't need it, but she wanted the clean air to take away the scent of the humans who'd just had the luckiest day on earth.

"Bella, love?" I asked, keeping my distance.

"I'm so sorry Edward, you must hate me. I tried to ignore them but they just smelled so good. I couldn't help it. I tried, I really did try to ignore them." She was ashamed of herself. I flew to her side and gathered her in my arms and kissed her thoroughly on her panting lips.

"Fuck me Bella. You have no idea how amazing that was. You smelled them but you ran away and I saw you hold your breath and you resisted them and fuck…" I crashed my lips down on hers and forced her lips open to take my tongue into her mouth.

**BPOV**

He was kissing me so hard I couldn't think straight. I'd nearly just killed some poor innocent hikers but he was kissing me in a frenzy. He wasn't pissed at me for wanting them, he was proud of me for resisting them, it had turned him on that I'd been able to do that. Oh my god. I'd managed to turn Edward on!

As the information seeped into my brain I kissed him back. I lost myself in it. I laced my fingers in his hair and held his mouth to mine. I pressed my tongue back into his mouth and let him suckle it. I felt my desire building with each passing second as he panted into my open mouth.

I wanted him, now, here. Anyway I could have him I would.

I let go of his hair and reached down and pulled the buckle open on his belt. I popped the button of his jeans as he pulled the front of my shirt open. As his finger pulled my bra aside and fingered my nipple I ran my hand down into his pants and took his thick hardness into my hand.

We both groaned as we slid to the ground where we stood.

He pinched my nipple in his fingers, his tongue never leaving my mouth.

I took his engorged length in my hand and stroked him from base to tip the way I knew he liked. He writhed under my hand as we lay side by side on the forest floor. I lapped at his venom hungrily as I kept a steady pressure on him. He pulled open my jeans with his free hand and plunged a finger into my wetness without warning. I sucked in a hard breath as his knuckle curled inside me and I felt the first flick of his thumb against my clit.

I pulled away from his lips and took his neck between my teeth. I bit down as he stroked me, my hand stroking him at the same pace.

Just as my climax was about to take me over I let him go and pushed him onto his back. I tugged his jeans down to his knees, grinning at the sight of him under me. I pulled my own jeans and knickers down and off my legs as I discarded my shoes. He settled his hands on either side of my hips as I poised to push myself down onto him.

I never said a word as I reached down, took him in my hand and guided him into my wet centre. I let him go as I took his length into my body and threw my head back and roared into the surrounding forest at the sheer pleasure of it.

I began to move up and down his length slowly at first, grinding my hips into him to increase the friction with each pass. He groaned and sighed and moaned as I moved, his eyes clamped shut tightly as I rode him.

I used my hands to lever myself against his chest as I rose and fell on him. I felt so full, so fully open to him as I moved. I knew I was grunting like an animal but I couldn't help it. I just needed to fell the release I could feel building deep inside me. I leaned forward and ground my clit across his pubic bone and it was my undoing. The pressure on my sensitive nub shook me to the core and I exploded all around him as my climax took me.

I sat up as straight as I could, taking him as deeply inside me as possible as I rode the waves of pure pleasure. I cried out and clawed at his chest as it shook me. I could clearly hear him thinking about his own release, that he was seconds away from it, that if I just rocked once or twice more he'd get there.

My eyes flew open widely when I realized what I'd heard, I rocked my hips as he'd wanted and I felt him jerk and spasm underneath me.

"I'm going to…yes…take me all of me baby… yes…Bella…yes…" He called as his release pumped up into me, sending me falling over the edge again with it. I collapsed onto his heaving chest as it shook me, rolling through me. He clutched me to him with his hands laced behind my back and we rolled sideways, still connected in the most basic of ways. He nibbled my ear, kissed my neck, my throat, my cheek and then my lips. Humming contentedly against my lips as we came down from the high.

"You're amazing Bella." He crooned against my temple as the first rays of sunlight lit up my new sparkling skin as I lay in his arms.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 Adjusting

BPOV

It was dark by the time we made it back to the house. We'd run some of the way, walked the rest. We just talked and walked. It was blissful to never get tired or stumble.

I knew we were in for a heavy time when we got back to the house, there were so many things I needed to do and so many people to speak with, but as we walked I could put all that out of my mind and just be with Edward.

As we got to the jetty he kissed me tenderly on my lips and held me close for a while. I knew he was worried for me, that this was going to be a very emotional thing I'd have to do, but if he stayed with me I'd manage.

He led me into the backdoor and into the kitchen and so began the first and last night of my new life.

"Hello dear. How are you feeling?" Esme asked, as she always asked, whenever I came indoors.

"I feel fantastic, thanks." I waited for the blush that would never come. "I have to go and call Charlie and Renee now though, so that might change." I grimaced at the thought.

"They just want to hear that you're alright, so just be yourself." She patted me on the arm and went back to packing casseroles into little clear plastic containers.

"Um, what are they for?" I asked her.

"Edward is going to take them to your fathers, dear. I had a whole load of food delivered, thinking you'd be human a little longer. I don't want it to go to waste." She smiled.

"That's very kind of you Esme, thank you for looking after them the past few days." I said.

"You're welcome dear. Go on, go make your phone call before it gets too late. Use Carlisle's study love." She nodded towards the stairs.

Edward came to my side and kissed me on the temple, "You'll be fine love. I'm here if you need me, just call for me, I'll hear you."

"Thanks." I went up the stairs and gritted my teeth.

I wasn't looking forward to this at all.

**EPOV**

This was going to be hard for her, to speak to her parents without being able to see them for god knows how long. I wanted to be with her while she did it, but it was part of the whole process of her change and knew it was something she had to do on her own.

I'd talked to Carlisle about it yesterday, before she'd woken, and he'd agreed. She wasn't the first of us who'd had to do this, Esme's parents had gone through this with her though not in the same way. She'd never told them what she was, just that she'd had to leave. She talked to them often on the telephone and wrote to them constantly during the first few years of hers and Carlisle's marriage.

Bella was in a fairly unique position, we'd told her parents the truth and they'd decided to support her through it. She would one day be able to see them and spend time with them. It would hurt now while she couldn't, but eventually she would be able to have a fairly normal relationship with them.

From what I saw of her control today in the forest it wouldn't be too long before she could be out in public at all.

I went to find Jasper to tell him about it while I tried not to listen to the conversation she was having in Carlisle's study.

**BPOV**

"I love you too dad. I'm fine, really, I feel fantastic." I tried to soothe him. I could tell he was at his wits end and I cursed myself for having left it all day before phoning.

"_Does it still hurt?" _he asked.

"No dad, not at all. I feel really strong." I didn't know what else to say really.

"_Have you, you know, been for something to eat yet?" _He asked cautiously.

"Yeah dad. I'm just back from that now. I don't want you to worry about any of that, Edward will help me, and he wont let anything happen to me."

"_I realize that Bell's, I just wanted to know that you were alright, you know, they told us it would hurt you, your thirst." _And then I understood. They knew everything.

"It did at first dad, I won't lie, it did. But after I'd hun…had something to eat it felt much better. I've been out twice already, because it did start to hurt a bit earlier, but I'm fine now." It felt so strange to be having this conversation.

"_That's good Bell's. That's good. Your mother wants a word. So…" _He trailed off.

"Ok dad. I'll call again tomorrow. Don't worry, I'm going to be great. Better than great, I promise. I hope I can see you soon. I love you." I waited for him to answer but he just huffed and handed the phone to Renee. It seemed our newfound openness was at its end for now.

"_Oh Bella honey, how do you feel?"_ Renee yelled down the phone.

"I'm great mom, really." Déjà vu set in, same conversation, different parent.

"_I need to talk to you about some things Bella, about Phil and me and your dad. I know I can't see you yet but I need to talk with you about this at some stage." _She sounded panicked.

"It's okay mom, there's plenty of time for all that. I know Phil's gone home, I heard all that." I said it softly, I didn't want to upset her too much.

"_Oh honey, I'm so sorry for all this. He didn't really mean it, it was just a bit too much for him. But I'm not going anywhere, I'm staying here till I can see you again, I promise, okay?" _She sobbed into the phone.

"Really? You're going to stay in Forks, for me? But you hate Forks?" I was shocked. Renee didn't do this sort of thing, she did what she wanted, and everyone else just followed her.

"Of course baby, I'm staying here at Charlie's, I'm not going anywhere. I've quit my job and Phil is going to send my things. I mean it baby."

"Oh mom, thank you. I'm going to try so hard to control myself so I hope it wont be long and I can see you both again. I love you so much mom, thank you so much." I felt like I should be crying, though no tears came.

"_It will be a good chance to get to know the Cullen's, before the wedding you know? Esme and Alice want me to help them plan it, when you two set a date that is. I guess it will be a good chance for me to get to know both you and Charlie again too." _She trailed off in a whisper and I caught something in her voice that seemed out of place. Was it regret? Did she regret leaving Charlie all those years ago?

"I haven't really changed all that much mom, I'm still me. I look a bit freaky though, red eyes, you know?" I laughed a little, testing how far I could push her tonight.

"_Edward told us about that. I can't say I'm looking forward to seeing it, but I do know it wont last forever. He's a very kind boy, man, isn't he?" _she asked quietly.

"Yes, he is. He'll be coming over there soon, he has some food for you both, Esme has been busy." I laughed lightly.

"_Oh that's so thoughtful of her, I've not even thought about food all day. We pretty much slept since we left there this morning." _

"Well he's going to leave when I get off the phone, so he won't be too far away. He drives like a lunatic, so your dinner will be on the table in a few minutes." I giggled.

I could hear the loud huff that came from somewhere in the house, it was obviously Edward, though I wasn't yet used to locating his sounds yet.

"_Ok baby. I'll let you go, I'm sure there's a million things you still need to organize. I love you, I'll talk to you again soon wont I?"_ I could hear the desperation in her voice as she asked.

"Tomorrow mom, I'll call again tomorrow. I promise." I waited a beat and then continued, "Actually, mom, tomorrow someone will be delivering some stuff to you, will you stay home and sign for it please?" I asked.

"_Sure. What are you sending me?" _She asked.

"You'll see tomorrow mom, gotta go, Edward wants to leave. I love you."

"_I love you too baby. Bye for now." _I waited until I heard the click of the receiver and then I sighed. That hadn't gone too badly. I was so grateful that Edward had taken the time to explain things to them both, that would've been a lot harder had I had to skirt around issues like hunting or not sleeping.

I saw my cell phone sitting on the end of the desk as I was leaving so I pocketed it and went to find Edward.

I didn't have to look far.

**EPOV**

"I do not drive like a lunatic Bella. I'm very careful actually." I pouted, trying to conceal my grin.

"Is that what you call it? Careful? Hmmm, I think not. Lunatic is just about right I think." She crossed the room and sat in my lap on the sofa. She cuddled into my chest and I kissed her temple.

"That went ok then?" I asked.

"You know it did. It's a bit weird being able to hear shit, from all over the place, its going to take a bit of getting used to I think." She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and relaxed against me.

"You're a natural honey, I've never seen anything like you. After what you managed to do today I am betting that within six weeks you'll be back at school raising hell again." I grinned down at her as she rolled her eyes at me.

"Do you really think so? I mean, I know I stopped myself but only after you yelled at me. What if you aren't there next time?"

"I'll always be there Bella. Always. And there's no hurry love." I kissed her on the lips and patted her to get up, I did want to go to Charlie's now before it got too late for them to eat.

"There is a bit of a hurry actually." She giggled.

"Oh, is there?" I couldn't think what it could be.

"I have to get my shit together so that we can get married as soon as possible." The most angelic smile took her whole face over and I was lost. I dived onto her as she sat on the sofa and I pulled her to me, tugging her bottom lip with my teeth.

"Ahem. Edward, it will be cold if you don't take it now." Esme was stood at the entrance to the living room laughing at us.

"Yes mom." I sniggered and Bella giggled under me. "You I'll deal with when I get back. I wont be long love. Will you be ok?" I asked. I knew she would be but I wanted her to know that I cared either way.

"I'll be fine, everyone is home aren't they?" She asked, looking around at the empty room. I knew she found it hard to isolate their individual sounds, but it had been less than one day and she was already doing amazingly well. The rest would come with time.

"Yep, all off doing their own thing. So the study is vacant till ten, till Carlisle comes home from his shift. Mr Davis' number is in your cell phone and your laptop is in _our _room." I winked at her and emphasized the 'our'.

"No bloody privacy here is there?" She giggled again. It was a magical sound, one I thought I'd not hear again for a long time, and now that I had I wanted to make her laugh like that always. "Go." She admonished me, pointing her finger towards the front door. I kissed her quickly on her upturned cheek and ran out the door with the hideous smelling package.

**BPOV**

"Hello Mr Davis, this is Bella Swan. I'm sorry for interrupting you at home." I said politely into my cell phone.

"Not at all Miss Swan. To what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked.

"I need to move some money around and I need some made available to my parents by tomorrow, can you help me with that?" I held my breath, I hoped he could.

"Of course. If you can give me the details I'll make all the arrangements first thing in the morning and we'll have it all sorted for you by midday." He didn't sound put out and I guessed that was because the Cullen's were very good customers.

I told him I wanted Charlie's mortgage paid out immediately and gave him as many details as I could think of that would help him locate the correct policy document.

Then I gave him the same details only this time about Renee and Phil's mortgage in Phoenix. I wanted it paid out then put solely in Phil's name. I gave him an amount and asked him to please have it delivered to Charlie's house tomorrow, that my mother was going to sign for it and I gave him her details. He said that was no problem and I thanked him profusely for his help. I wished him good night and hung up my phone. I was pretty pleased with the way it went. Mission accomplished.

I closed Carlisle's study door and went up to Edward's room. I would have to get used to calling it our room, but for now it was still his. I'd have to arrange for some of my things to be delivered seeing as I couldn't exactly collect them myself. All I had with me was my book bag and one change of clothes.

I found my laptop and set it up on Edward's desk. I opened an internet page and marveled at how fast it all connected, pretty soon I was clicking away, knocking the hell out of my new platinum credit card. Alice would be proud.

"I am." I heard her singsong voice and sighed happily.

"Hey." I called to her as she came and sat on the end of the bed.

"I heard what you just did for your parents, that was really nice. If you click on that link there at the bottom you can get one in every colour you know?" She pointed a dainty finger at the bottom of my screen and I chuckled.

"I might just do that." I was ordering clothes for my mother online. I knew she'd arrived with barely anything and it would be weeks before Phil got any of her stuff organized enough to send to her. So I was buying her coats and boots and jeans and things, just some stuff to tide her over.

I'd also ordered a pair of laptops, the same as mine, to be delivered tomorrow to them both. I could at least videoconference with them via the net for the next year if I had to.

"It wont be a year, you know that right?" she said matter of factly.

"Won't it?" I asked. I hadn't dare hoped it might be sooner.

"Edward told Jaz what happened out in the forest today, I had seen a little bit of it but not how you handled yourself. It was pretty impressive Bella, so I don't think it will be a year, no." She grinned and I smiled in reply.

"That's good to know." She knew I wanted more info, but I left it at that.

**EPOV**

I put the horrible smelling gunk on the counter and both Renee and Charlie thanked me for delivering it.

"It's no problem, it's from Esme, you know how she is." I tilted my head and grimaced, they both laughed.

"Yeah, I do." Renee laughed. She had a similar laugh to Bella's, lyrical, but not as carefree as Bella's.

"I wondered if you'd given any thought to what you'll tell the school?" I didn't ask either of them in particular, just in general. They looked at each other and I could tell they hadn't. "There's no hurry, and there is only two more weeks of the year left anyway, but someone should let them know she won't be back this year."

"Probably wouldn't go down too well if you phoned them huh?" Charlie chuckled. He seemed much more at ease now, in his own home, and I hoped we'd be able to be closer one day.

"Probably not." I smiled. "My brothers and sisters and I will be going back to school come Monday morning, Bella will stay at the house with Esme during the day, but we need to go back. Perhaps you could tell the principle that she's ill? We could think longer term over the break about what to do about next year." I tried to be helpful rather than controlling. She was still their daughter despite the fact that she was about to become my wife.

"Does she need anything Edward, for you to take to her I mean?" Renee asked.

"I'd like to take her pajamas if that's ok? I know it seems silly, of all the things she should have with her to want those, but she feels comfortable in them even if she wont actually be sleeping. It will take a while for her to get used to that. I think I should take her toiletries bag and probably her robe too." I couldn't look them in the eye now, I felt so awkward asking for these things. "And her books. But I'll come by for those another day."

"Sure, you can go on up and take what she needs son, it's not like you haven't been up there before." Charlie chuckled and I looked at him shocked. "What? We aren't going to play coy now are we Edward?" he laughed.

"I guess not Charlie." I laughed in response. Not so awkward after all. I excused myself and went up to Bella's childhood bedroom.

**BPOV**

"I know you know Alice, so quit it with the grinning woman, just spit it out." I sneered at her as she bounced on Edward's bed.

I'd heard Edward's mental voice twice now, both times while he was either experiencing his orgasm or I was.

"What's it like?" she asked, still bouncing.

"Weird. It's only happened twice, and both times it was different. The first time I thought I'd imagined it, but I was more sure the second time." I tried to hide my eyes, I knew the blush wouldn't come but my embarrassment would.

"Huh. I didn't know what it was when I saw it. I thought he could read you for a minute, and then I realized I had it round the wrong way. So, only when, you know?" she winked and I cringed.

"Yeah, so far, only then. He doesn't know, so don't tell him." I warned her.

"Ooh, big scary vampire girl, I wont tell." She laughed.

"There's more." I waited for that to peak her interest and she stopped bouncing and stood at the foot of the bed staring at me. "My tattoo changes."

"No shit?" She squealed and I winced, that was even louder now than it was before. "Show me." she said, advancing to where I sat.

"I can't just show you it changing, but look…" I pulled apart the collar on my shirt and showed her the butterscotch colored tattoo. She sucked in a breath and whistled.

"Wow. Cool. It's a gorgeous colour, not as nice as your eye colour used to be, but close to what it will be soon."

"Yeah, I know, but it changes. Earlier when we were hunting it was a rusty red colour, I think because I was thirsty."

"And?" she grinned and I knew she knew.

"During, it went black again." I was embarrassed but she didn't giggle or anything. She just shrugged and said she'd never heard of it happening but then again, she didn't know any vampires who had tattoo's either. That made us both laugh. I heard the car in the driveway and knew that Edward was back. I looked to Alice and she nodded, she'd come and see me later.

I hugged her quickly and flew down the stairs, straight into his arms as he came through the door.

**EPOV**

"Wow. Hello love." I crowed into her hair as she flung herself at me from the bottom step. I buried my nose in her hair and drank her in. I hated being away from her, next week would be murder.

She clung to me and I hugged her tightly to me, dropping the bags at my feet.

"I missed you." She whispered against my jaw as she kissed me.

"I missed you too love. How did your business go?" I asked her as I untangled her from my waist and led her to the sofa.

"All done. Will you help me sort out a car for Renee tomorrow? Charlie will go back to work soon I think and she'll be stuck." I put the carrier bags on the sofa and sat, patted my lap and she plopped down into it.

It was rare that Rose and Emmett weren't sprawled out all over this thing, but I knew they were keeping to themselves, giving her time to come to grips with everything. So far they needn't have bothered. It was as if she'd always been one of us.

"I surely will help with that, no problem. Don't forget our own cars will be delivered in two days time. Then I can show you how I drive like a lunatic." I pouted again. And she laughed.

"Oh I had forgotten that!" She squealed excitedly. "Wow, I'll be able to zoom around fast now, won't I?" She seemed really excited about it and I was pleased for her.

"Oh yeah, then you'll be the lunatic. Don't forget that your own father is the law around here." I laughed.

"How are they doing?' She asked, a little seriousness crossing her face.

"They seemed fine. They're getting along really well. I even noticed that your bed hadn't been slept in recently, I think they might be sharing a bed Bella. Just for support, you know, emotional support." I tilted my head to see what her reaction to that might be.

"Wow. That's weird. But I guess I understand it. It's been a rough few days for them." She sat thoughtfully for a few moments and I stroked her hair, as she got lost in her thoughts. This would happen quite a bit over the next weeks, Bella getting lost in the caverns of her own mind. There was so much more room to store information in a vampires mind, we sometimes took a while to reach the back paddocks so to speak.

"I've bought you a few things from your room. Want to come upstairs and have a look?" I tried not to be too obvious that I wanted her alone, in my room, preferably in my bed, as soon as possible. If she caught onto my evil plan she showed no sign of it as she nodded and pulled me up the stairs behind her.

**BPOV**

If he doesn't kiss me soon I'm going to jump him!

Sweet kisses in my hair and at my temple are lovely, thanks so much, but fuck…what does a girl have to do to get a little tongue around here?

I watched as he tipped the contents of the bag out onto the bed. I saw my robe and my toiletries bag and gasped as I saw my favourite pajamas!

"Oh thank you, thank you. Oh wait, I don't sleep anymore." I squinted at the pile of fabric.

"Maybe not, but you're going to be spending a hell of a lot of time in that bed Isabella."

"Holy fucking white man that's so hot." Oh shit, I said that out loud. "Oh god. Shit. Sorry. I didn't meant to say that out loud. Fuck. Sorry. Shit. What I mean is. Shit. Sorry." Shit. How embarrassing. I covered my mouth with my hand and cringed. I heard at least four different laughs from four different locations within the house. Oh Christ. They'd all heard that. Of course they had, ahem, fucking vampires. Oh crap. Don't think about fucking and vampires in the same sentence. Oh fuck. Oh crap. Stop it.

Edward was doubled over with laughter by the time I could get my head straight enough to look to where he stood. His chest was heaving and his eyes were sparkling and he just couldn't contain himself. He actually flopped backwards onto the bed and lie there laughing his gorgeous head off at me for a few minutes. I stood stupidly holding my mouth with my hand trying to come to terms with what I'd just blurted out, in a house full of super hearing fuckers who'd hang shit on me for all eternity for dribbling so much crap out of my mouth.

I'll never live this down.

Emmett will be merciless. Jasper will be embarrassed, Rose will sneer down her nose at me and Alice will want details. Urgh. Fuck!

Only one thing for it. Can't beat the fuckers, so join them.

I ran to the bed and took a leap just before the foot end and came to rest on Edward's chest. He shot straight up and caught me around my waist, he was laughing so hard he could hardly focus on me as I joined in. I ducked my head under his chin and he stroked my back as we laughed and laughed.

"Oh dear. Mr Cullen, I do hope you aren't suggesting that we spend our evenings doing wicked, wicked things to each other are you?" I giggled as his guffaws abated slightly. I felt him stiffen under me and I knew I'd hit my mark. Welcome back Mr Horny.

"I most certainly am implying that. I've spent a hundred years learning shit, reading shit and generally being bored out of my skull while everyone around me shags themselves stupid." He took my bottom lip between his lips, suckled it for a second, let it go and finished with, "It's my turn to be the stupid shagging one now."

"Holy fuck" I whispered against his mouth. "You're so sexy when you say things like that." I knew his eyes would be turning black now, I could hear his breathing accelerating under his shirt and I could feel my tattoo begin to tingle. Hello tongue…welcome back.

**EPOV**

I took my time this time. It was slow and sensual and everything it should've been this afternoon in the shower. There was no nervousness, no embarr-assment, we just gave to each other what the other needed. It was quiet and loving and gentle. I took hours to explore her body, to find out what made her quake with pleasure. I found places she didn't even know she had that made her squirm underneath me. She found a few I didn't know existed for me too and I gave myself over fully to the pleasure she gave me.

I watched in wonder as her tattoo went from a deep butter gold to inky black under my touch. I found that I could measure her desire by the height of the raised letters. The more raised her flesh became the more she wanted from me. The closer her release came the more furrowed the hollows between the letters of my name became. Which only turned me on more.

I still couldn't quite wrap my head around forever with Bella. I'd be able to do this to her every night for eternity. I still think it would never be long enough.

We'd have to install a bigger water heater at this pace, I thought, as I showered for the third time tonight. Bella was in my bed, curled up under the blankets though she would never be cold ever again. She had her favorite pajamas on and she had her eyes closed though of course she didn't sleep.

For the next few weeks she'd need to rest like this, quietly, as she regained her full strength and the residual blood in her system was eaten fully by my venom. I preferred to think of it as having been my venom that changed her, not Carlisle's, and I was a little sad that I'd not done it myself. I didn't think I would ever feel that way, but now that she was here, with me fully, I was a little sad. Knowing I'd contributed the venom though made me happier than I ever thought it would.

Bella and I would have to discuss those sorts of things in the coming months. We'd have to be sure to work through any emotional issues that arose so as to help her transition to this lifestyle as best as we could. It wasn't always easy and I knew we both would have a few heated discussions, and as many regrets and recriminations, as the months went by and she came to terms with her new life.

I dried myself and threw the towel into the hamper. I brushed my teeth, ran a hand through my bastard hair that refused to do anything it was asked and then made to shave. I knew Bella loved me shaggy, but it was beyond a joke now. I looked like a bushman. When I was done I splashed on some aftershave and wrapped a clean towel around my waist.

She was still snuggled down in my bed, our bed, I should start to think of it as our bed from now on. Her breathing was even and shallow, just as if she were asleep. I studied her beautiful face for a few seconds then pulled on some clean jeans and a jersey. I'd talk to Esme tomorrow about sorting out this room so it fit us both in comfortably. Bella would need closet space and a desk of her own at least.

I wouldn't leave her alone but I thought she could use the rest, so I opened her laptop and amused myself with my bank statement.

She'd used her credit card today, to buy clothes by the looks of things, and I smiled widely. Good girl Bella.

I went onto the Capitol State Forest website and smiled when I saw that 'our' cabin was indeed free this weekend. I put my credit card details into the little boxes and reserved it for us for the two nights. I wanted as much alone time with her as possible before I'd have to go back to school on Monday. Without her. Oh god.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 Cullen Crest

**BPOV**

Thursday dawned a rainy and gloomy mess. No matter to me though, the weather wasn't what would keep my inside at the moment, so I didn't take too much notice. I was determined to speak to everyone individually today, so I'd try to get them all on their own at some point.

Edward hadn't left me at all during the night and although I hadn't slept I'd needed to rest. We'd made love a few times during the night, but mostly I rested. He'd explained why, why I felt tired even though I would never again need to actually sleep. So I stopped worrying that it was somehow a side effect of the change going wrong and I'd let myself rest.

I did feel better for it this morning too. I'd come down bright and early to find them all crowded around the kitchen bench chatting. Edward hugged me tightly to his side and we'd all had a good chat before Emmett, Rose, Jasper and Alice headed off to school. That had shocked me a little. I'd been so caught up in my own situation that I'd not given a thought to the rest of them. Alice told me not to worry, that Charlie was going to call the school this morning and tell them that I was sick and wouldn't be back this year. That was only two weeks but it included finals, so I'd be studying them at home and taking the tests early the next school year. That frightened me for a split second, the idea that I'd have to go back to school like this. Edward had noticed my shift in demeanor and had told me it would be ok, that I didn't have to go back until I was ready.

Alice was going to tell Angela and Ben that I was sick and they'd deal, she'd seen it. She'd warned me that Angela would be phoning me at morning tea time, so I should have my story straight for when the phone rang.

Carlisle had a shift at the hospital first thing so I wanted to find him first. As the others left for school Edward went up to Esme's loft with her and I went to Carlisle's study. I knocked lightly and he asked me to come in.

As ever he was sat in his huge chair reading his huge book. He smiled warmly as I came in and told me to sit wherever I liked. Or stand, or lie down, or whatever I wanted, he chuckled.

"It is a bit weird not feeling the need to shift, you all look so natural, I never really noticed that it was a practiced art before now." I offered by way of an explanation.

"That's a great compliment actually. We've always worked hard to make our movements more natural, I'm glad something we did managed to trip you up. Nothing else did." He chuckled again and I joined him.

"Yeah, I saw lots, back then. Now I just hear everything." I shook my head ruefully; I was still having trouble adjusting to the hearing.

"Give it time, it's only been a day Bella. You'll get used to it, it took us all a while. I hear everything else has come relatively naturally to you though, my dear?" He asked. And I nodded.

"I think so, yes. Why do you think that is?" I asked.

"I'm not sure though I think it has a lot to do with the mental preparation you had prior to your change. You are the first I've ever known that wanted it, planned for it, however unexpectedly it came about in the end, and you were prepared for it." It sounded reasonable to me.

"I guess so. I just never thought it would be this easy. Don't get me wrong, if given the choice I'd never want to go through that again, ever." I shuddered and he nodded solemnly. "But now, I feel so fantastic, like I belong here. I can't ever imagine why I was frightened before."

"I'm glad you feel like this now, but you need to know that at some point you may not feel that way and you should talk to Edward, or me, or any of us, if you begin to doubt yourself at any stage." His face clouded over a little as his words sunk into my brain. Maybe I would one day feel awful about it all, I would talk to Edward about it, I knew I would. I'd not keep secrets from him, he'd never kept any from me.

"It's a bit strange having so much room in my brain. I keep stumbling over thoughts that are tucked way in the back there." I giggled.

"Yes, it is a bit strange at first isn't it? You'll be grateful for all that space when you're going through college for the tenth time, believe me." He grinned.

"Yeah I suppose I will. Can I ask you something please?" I waited till he nodded and then I took a deep breath. "Did you know I got a tattoo? Of course you know you changed me, duh. Sorry. Well, its been changing colour and texture with my moods, have you ever heard of that before?"

"No I haven't actually. That's an interesting one. I've certainly never read about it before, either in a human or anyone else. I'll do a little research and see if I can find mention of it anywhere. Is anything else out of the ordinary?" he asked, leaning forward, obviously interested in any new information.

I thought about his question and began to laugh.

"Carlisle, honestly, every thing is out of the ordinary right now, I don't know what's supposed to be normal and what's not. Last night I felt like I could sleep, I thought something had gone wrong with my change until Edward explained that I'd need to rest for a bit, so I have no idea what's normal. Sorry."

"Don't apologize, I totally understand. And Edward is right. You will need to rest for a bit, now and then, we all do. In times of great stress we all need a quiet amount of time to come to terms with what's going on around us. So it's completely normal." He said sounding more like a doctor than ever.

"How are you feeling Carlisle?" I asked.

"Ah, well. That is difficult to put voice to." He hung his head and I felt so sad for him. He'd given me this great gift but it had hurt him to do it.

"Thank you, for changing me." I said in a whisper. "I know it hurt you to do it."

"Every time I've had to do it it's been under difficult circumstances Bella. None of them were easy. With the others I could justify it to myself by having faith that they'd have died without it. I can't do that with you. This was your choice. You wouldn't have died from your injuries Bella. You were paralyzed, but thousands of people live long lives that way. Not ideal, I grant you, but you'd have survived. So it's going to be tough to come to terms with that, for me."

"You said a prayer before you did it." I stated. It wasn't a question.

"Yes. Do you remember what I said?"

"Not really, I just remember you whispering in my ear before the needle, that's all. I thought it sounded like a prayer."

"I asked god for forgiveness for what I was about to do to you, and then I asked you for yours, for keeping my word." He looked me in the eye and I knew what he was asking.

I stared at him for a long moment and thought about what I was going to say. I rose from the chair and went around to his side of the desk. I got down on my knees and made myself get down to his level. I took both his hands in mine and kissed them, "Thank you so much for saving me. I forgive you for taking my life and I thank you for giving me another. I'll spend eternity being grateful to you Carlisle, dad." I kissed his hands again and kept my head bowed over them. I felt him place a gentle kiss on my hair and I drew in a breath.

"Thank you Isabella." He kissed me again and continued. "I have something for you my dear. But first I need to call for your betrothed, I promised him he could be here when I gave it to you." I lifted my head out of his hands and stood up. He called softly for Edward to join us, no louder than his normal speaking voice and at once I heard his footsteps coming down the hall.

I would have to practice that, the art of gently calling for someone.

Edward came in and smiled down at me widely. He knew what Carlisle had for me, but to me it was a complete surprise.

Carlisle went to the large safe at the side of the room and spun the huge dial a few times, back and forth, I heard the clicks as the barrels lined up. Huh. Being a vampire might be cool if you were a safe cracker by trade!

He swung the huge iron door open and pushed his hand to the back and retrieved a small wooden box.

Edward was shifting on his feet nervously. He was excited about this. His eyes were darkening and I felt the first tingle of my tattoo, as I got excited too. This was obviously important to them both because they looked at me expectantly as Carlisle handed me the box. He kept his hand on top of it and spoke quietly, reverently.

"You're a Cullen now Bella. Soon you'll be a Cullen in name too, but when I changed you you became part of my family. We all wear these, I hope you like it. Open it sweetheart." He lifted his hands off the box and I looked to Edward, who nodded, a beaming smile on his beautiful face.

I flipped the lid of the box open and held my breath. Nestled on a bed of scarlet satin was a bangle. It was gold and solid and it was gorgeous. It was a tube shape but had a flattened surface at the middle, the part that would sit at your wrist. On the flat part was a perfect crest, it wasn't gold though, it was platinum. It was so shiny it threw light off it across the room. The crest itself had a lion that stood on a plinth of three clovers. An outstretched hand sat above the lion and the whole thing was set against a backdrop of filigree curves and sweeps. It was breathtaking.

"Is this for me?" I asked, incredulous.

"Of course." Carlisle smiled warmly. "Do you like it?"

"Oh yes, I love it. It's really mine?" I couldn't get my head around that. He'd gone to the trouble to have this made, for me. And then I remembered. The day he and Edward had gone to the city, this is what they'd gone to collect that was so important.

I flung myself at Carlisle and hugged him tightly. He chuckled and patted my back lovingly. "You're welcome Bella." He laughed.

I withdrew myself from Carlisle and took the bangle off its bed of satin. I slipped it over my left hand and watched as it settled into a natural position above my wrist. It fit perfectly, as if it was made from a cast of my wrist. The flat section held itself directly above my wrist and the crest glinted in the light. I was a Cullen!

"Thank you so much. I truly love it." I turned to Edward and he was beaming still. "Is this what's on your cuff?" I finally asked. For weeks I'd been meaning to ask and he grinned.

He held up his arm and showed me the cuff. It was a wide leather band with the same crest embedded in it. It was glorious. I ran my thumb over it and then over the crest on my bangle. I fit here. With them. This is where I fit.

I held onto Edward's hand and looked back to Carlisle. "Thank you, for everything. I love you, dad." And he closed his eyes and sighed, a big smile on his face.

"I love you too, Bella. And you are most welcome." He sat back in his chair and Edward and I left, hand in hand.

**EPOV**

I took her hand and led her up to Esme's loft. Esme was dying to see the bangle on her arm, having designed it herself, with Carlisle. She was clapping her tiny hands and stepping from foot to foot like Alice did when we got up there.

"Oh Bella its lovely. It suits you so well." She beamed.

"I love it. Isn't it gorgeous? Look how shiny it is." She twisted her hand from side to side so that the light could catch it. Esme fairly swooned as she agreed it was gorgeous. She then showed Bella her own crest, it sat in between three rows of heavy gold chain around her wrist. Her bracelet was not solid like Bella's and it hung loosely off Esme's dainty wrist. They compared crests and Bella was radiantly happy as they put them side by side.

"Bella, Angela will be calling you in a few moments. Shall we?" I nodded towards the stairs and she nodded.

"Thanks Esme, I'll come back up after the call, I need to talk to you, okay?" She waited till Esme nodded and we went down to my room.

Bella said she'd take the call in my room and I said I needed to talk to Esme again anyway, so I kissed her briefly on her lips and went back up the stairs to Esme. I heard Bella's phone ring as I reached the door. Esme called me inside and we went back to looking over the plans on her table.

"She's on the phone to Angela now, but we should hurry." I said grinning.

"Right. Well. Rose is handling most of it, Bella doesn't seem to notice when Rose is missing, yet anyway. You can see here," she pointed to a spot on the plans and I nodded, "that we'll knock that wall out and make it bigger from there. The roof restoration is done and the floors are finished. There are only the internal walls to plaster and then paint. We'll get most of that done while you're away this weekend. But I might need you to distract her a few more times so that Alice and I can steal away and furnish it. It's all being delivered here, so you might need to make a few day trips now and then." Esme was beaming as she explained her plans to me.

"And the other thing?" I asked as casually as I could. She saw right through me though.

"It's in already. Dirty boy." She laughed.

"Guilty as charged." I put my hands up in mock surrender and she giggled.

"I'm so happy for you Edward." She said and I touched my heart with my hand.

"I've never felt so happy, ever, Esme. I know I said that the night she told me she loved me and again on Sunday morning, but now, now that she's strong and nothing can hurt her…god…it's amazing."

"I can tell." She giggled again.

"Oh alright. I get it. We were loud. Sorry." I laughed.

"She's finishing her call, help me fold these up please." We folded the blueprints up and Esme slipped them in between dozens of other ones down beside her drafting table. "When she comes back up you make yourself scarce please. We have secret women's business to attend to." She actually poked her tongue out at me then. I was still standing there gaping at her when Bella came in through the door.

"What did I miss?" She asked.

"I was just telling your fiancé here to bugger off so we could gossip about him." Esme laughed.

"Oh I'm going. I don't want to hear it, my ego couldn't handle it anyway." I grinned at Bella and waited for the blush that would never come. I sighed as I put my hand to her cheek and kissed her lightly. "I'll see you later love. I'm going to your fathers for a bit. I'll bring you some of your books, okay?"

"Thank you. Say hi for me, tell them I'll call them later on. I love you." She said against my lips.

"As I do you." I kissed her again and left them to it.

They were already giggling as I hit the bottom stair. Sheesh.

I took my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed as I opened the garage door. "Hello, I'd like to arrange for a donation please. Yes, that's right. A car. That's right. I can have it delivered today if that suits you. If you text me the address it will be there by the close of business today. Thank you." I snapped it shut and waited for the beep sounding a text message arrived. Two minutes later it did.

I dialed assistance and asked for a car carrying company in the area. I phoned them and asked them to collect the Volvo. They said they'd be there within the hour, I gave them my credit card number and I authorized the payment over the phone. I gave them the delivery address and patted the boot of the car fondly as I passed it and got into the Aston. The Volvo would be gone by the time I came home, thank god.

The Aston would suit me just fine for now. The Bugatti would be here tomorrow and then I'd have some fun. Lunatic driver. How rude. I spun the Aston out the driveway in a hail of tyre smoke and gravel and hit the open road with a shit-eating grin on my face.

**BPOV**

"So tell me Bella, this changing tattoo of yours?" Esme grinned at me.

"Wow, news travels fast round here." I shook my head and laughed. "Alice?" I asked, already knowing the answer before Esme had a chance to nod her agreement. "Right. Yeah. It changes. Look at it now though." I pulled my collar aside as I had done earlier for Carlisle and her eyes arched widely as she took in the softer colour of the mark.

"It was beautiful before, now it's incredible. Does it stay like that then?" she asked.

"No. Yesterday when I was thirsty it was reddish, sort of a rust colour." She raised her brows and waited for me to finish, she knew already, Jesus Alice, I cursed. "Bloody hell. Ok, so um, when, you know, it goes black. Like, um. Edward's eyes." I giggled. It was going to take some time to get over the fact that everyone was going to know about my sex life here. And the fact that Esme wasn't actually Edward's mother.

She pointed to the long sofa at the end of the room and we both fell down onto it, facing each other with a leg folded underneath. "I've never heard of it before, had Carlisle?" she asked.

I shook my head. "He's going to do some research and see what he finds. It tingles too. Though that's new. It happened last night once and just now again when Edward was excited about me getting my crest."

"Oh wow. That's amazing. So are you going to make me ask about the other, or will you just tell me?" She grinned evilly.

"Oh crap, you know about that too?" I cringed. Jeez Alice! "Right. Suck it up, no privacy, get with the program right Bella?" I laughed and she nodded. "So a couple of times so far. Same deal, you know? When we're, yeah…so I can't seem to read him any other time yet. But I'll keep trying." I knew the blush wouldn't come but I still felt extraordinarily warm.

"You're so lucky Bella." She said, with a faraway look on her face. I wondered what she meant.

"I know. But what do you mean specifically?"

"To be able to know, with absolute surety, what he wants, during…you know?" She giggled.

"Oh." My mouth formed a little 'o' and she laughed again. "I hadn't really thought about it too much, it's all pretty new for me. I think we're doing ok, without me reading him I mean." I thought about that and wondered if I was doing as well as I thought I was. What if I was doing something he didn't like, then I'd be able to hear that in his mind as I did it, that would hurt me. But then what if there was something he wanted me to do but I wasn't doing it, or I was doing it wrong. He'd hate that. Oh shit. Maybe he'd been humoring me?

"Oh Bella honey don't worry, please." Esme crooned, sweeping me along the sofa towards her and wrapping me I a gentle hug. I must have gotten lost in my thoughts and looked a bit worried or something.

"It's a bit complicated isn't it?" I asked as she let me go.

"It can be, yes. Does he make you happy Bella?" She asked.

"No question. Of course he does, totally." I answered.

"And I know he's happy, he's told me himself. So it's not so complicated. You're both happy." She said it and it all sounded so easy. I guess it was really. Before I had my mental breakdown just now it did seem just that easy. I loved him, he loved me. Everything he did to me felt good, I was pretty sure he liked what I did to him. Easy.

"Thanks Esme." I slid a little closer on the sofa and took a deep breath. "I want to than you for everything you've done for me, and my parents. It has been so wonderful having a mother here for me through all this."

"I'm so glad your mother is here for you too Bella. You'll need her a fair bit this next few months." She patted my knee kindly but she'd misunderstood me completely.

"No Esme. I mean you. You've been my mother here. Thank you." I said quietly.

"Oh Bella sweetheart that's such a lovely thing to say. Thank you. I was worried that I'd been stepping on Renee's toes, you know? I've never been able to do this for anyone, well a human anyway, who still had their parents in their lives, I didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable." She beamed.

"You haven't. I promise. I love that you want to take care of me. Renee was never really that kind of mom. She was great and I love her of course, but she was never the carer. I was in a way. I was more like her mother and she was my kid." I said truthfully.

"I've loved having you here Bella. I watched you grow up and wanted to do so much for you, it's been wonderful actually having you here. That won't change now that you're like us though." She patted my knee again.

"Really?" I asked.

"Of course. The others don't really need me all that much anymore, but at the beginning they did. Edward didn't of course, he was changed before me so he looked after me in the beginning. But the others needed me for a while." She said wistfully.

"I hope I always need you." I smiled.

"I hope so too. You were my first ever human child." She sighed.

"How are you really Esme? With all this I mean, my change?"

She took a few seconds to think about it and then she took my hand in hers and squeezed it lightly as she spoke. "I knew you were destined for my Edward, a long time ago I knew that. I hoped you'd be a little older before your change, but I knew you'd be changed. Even before Alice showed me too. He waited so long you see? And when he first found you his whole world changed, so I knew that couldn't be for nothing. The universe, or god, or whatever you choose to believe put you in his path for a reason. I knew that wasn't an accident. He's a good man and he deserved happiness. I've hated to watch him wait, but it's all worth it now that you're here." She smiled.

"I don't know what to say Esme." And I didn't. She was so lovely, so giving, and so full of love for us all. "I love you Esme. I'm so glad you all found me."

**EPOV**

Renee opened the door to me with the palest, blankest expression I'd ever seen on her face. She looked more shocked than she had the night she'd arrived and I'd had to tell her what I was. I panicked for a second and then I saw the pile of cash on the little kitchen table.

"Ah, the courier has been then?" I asked, smiling.

Charlie sat at the table with the same blank expression on his face. He held an envelope and a coffee mug in his other hand.

Renee sat back down in her chair and put her hands in front of her.

Between them on the table were four neat rows of crisp hundred dollar bills.

"Would you like me to leave?" I asked.

"No." Charlie said blankly. "What's all this about?" He nodded to the money and waved the envelope at me.

"I've no idea. Bella did this, not me. It's her money. Not mine." I smiled.

"This is hers? But how?" Renee whispered.

"Charlie, I told you about this." He nodded and I turned to Renee. "Do you remember when I said I met Bella and you in the hospital when she was very little?" She nodded so I continued. "Well, from that day we've all thought of her as one of us, a part of our family. So we needed to make sure she would be taken care of if anything ever happened to one of us. So we began investing for her, in her name. When she agreed to be with me we turned the trust over to her and told her to do with it what she pleased. I guess she's found something to do with a bit of it." I chuckled.

"But what's it for?" Renee asked.

"You can ask her yourself if you like." I handed her my cell phone, I'd already pushed the speed dial and it was ringing.

"Hello Bella? Some money had just been delivered here. Yeah. Oh, right. Yeah. I see. Okay. Sure. But…right. Okay. I love you too, bye." Renee snapped the phone shut and handed it back to me. I'd been able to hear the other side of the conversation so I tried very hard to keep my face impassive.

"All sorted?" I asked.

"Charlie, Bella said to tell you that your mortgage papers are in that envelope. It's paid out. Mine are in there too. Half this cash is to pay out any debts we've got, the other half is to be split between us to live off while we aren't working." Her voice was a flat drone, lifeless really.

"Well there you go. All sorted." I chuckled. Charlie looked up at me with a scowl on his face. "I know it's a shock Charlie, but I've tried for twelve years to think of something to do for you both, she's managed where I failed, again." I rolled my eyes. "Please say you'll accept it. She'll feel better knowing she's taking care of you still." It was manipulative of me to phrase it that way, but I meant every word of it.

I listened carefully to their thoughts and knew that they were grateful for what she'd given them. Begrudgingly grateful though.

"This is the wrong way around Edward. She should inherit money from us, not this." Charlie flicked a stack of bills and they toppled over.

"You didn't inherit this Charlie." I tried very hard to keep my voice even as I said it. I knew he meant no harm, but the thought that Bella had died and that's how this cash had gotten here tore at my gut. "This is what families do for each other." I patted his shoulder and he nodded as he came to realize the truth in my words.

"Ok. Thank you Edward." He said quietly.

"I didn't do anything Charlie, this is all Bella." He kept his eyes on Renee and a momentary spark flicked between them. He was thanking her, mentally, for giving him such a wonderful daughter. "There is a UPS truck in your drive Charlie, you might want to get a pen Renee. I think Santa has arrived." I chuckled.

**BPOV**

After I told my mother to shut up and just accept the money I went and started cleaning up 'our' room. Esme showed me where the laundry room was, I was embarrassed to think I'd never seen it before now. I'd always just left and not given a second thought to someone having to clean up after me. I was ashamed of that and told her so. She'd said that was nonsense, that I'd been a guest then anyway. I'd changed the sheets on our bed, put the others in to wash in one of the three enormous stainless steel washers downstairs and then I'd gone to round up whatever clothes I still had in tact.

I had a pair of jeans, two t-shirts, my pajamas, my robe and two sets of underwear. That was it. I had my jeans on, so for them to be washed I'd have to find something else temporarily. I went back to our room and found an old pair of Edward's sweats. I had to roll the waist half a dozen times so they stayed on me, but they'd do for now. I swapped my shirt for one of his and pushed the sleeves up to my elbows so I could use my hands.

I gathered everything else and went down and threw it into another of the washers.

Esme was in the dining room when I came out of the laundry, I could hear her humming quietly. As I went in I saw she was arranging a huge vase of fresh flowers on the table. I shuddered when I looked at the table.

"It will be a little strange for you for a bit dear." She patted my arm as she walked around the other side of the table and collected the empty vase on the sideboard.

"Yeah." I agreed. "Do you think Alice will want to go shopping with me one day? To buy clothes I mean? I've got hardly anything here to wear." I said, looking down at my newest ensemble.

The words had only just left my mouth when my cell phone vibrated in my pocket. Esme giggled as I flipped it open.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Don't you dare even open the internet page until I get there. And the second your washing is done in the dryer take those horrid sweats off!" Alice screeched into the phone.

"Jeez woman. Fine. God." I was shocked.

"Sorry, I just don't want you sitting online ordering more boring jeans and sweats. Wait for me to get home and we'll do it together, ok?" She asked nicely.

"Fine. How's school?"

"Boring without you. But the rumors are fantastic. Did you know you're pregnant, with twins, and you've gone to Borneo to a convent to have them? Oh, and the bestest one was that you'd been kidnapped by Jacob and that Edward was in prison for trying to break in there and steal you back. Classic huh?" she giggled.

"Fantastic." I mumbled.

"You should see the look on Jessica's face right now. Apart from the fact her nose set crooked she looks about ready to burst. I heard her gossiping in the hall earlier so I stood right behind her and then I told her that you and Edward were far too busy to come to school today because you were busy planning your lavish wedding. I swear she nearly cried, it was so funny, even Jaz laughed."

"Jeez Alice, I do actually have to go back there one day, can you at least not feed the rumor mill?" I asked.

"Where's the fun in that? Besides, while they're all busy speculating we can get on with the truth in peace. Gotta go Bella, Rose is about to growl at a sophomore for offering Emmett an apple. Shit...Rose…" She trailed off and I laughed.

I snapped the phone shut and Esme giggled. "I don't miss school." She laughed.

"I bet." I rolled my eyes. "She will take a bit of getting used to as well." I laughed.

"She comes in handy now and then. So have you given any thought to what you'd like done to your suite?" Esme asked as we walked back to the kitchen with the dirty vase.

"Oh, no, I haven't. I mean, I don't think I want to do anything to it. I love it the way it is. I know Edward likes it, so…" I left it there. It was his space, if he wanted it changed he'd change it.

"That's not exactly what I asked though. I know Edward likes it, its what he asked for when we got here. But what do you like? I've seen your room at Charlie's so I know you like lilac and lavender shades, so that's a start." She stood with her back to the counter and watched me.

"Oh, yeah I do. But that's a bit girly for Edward, don't you think?"

"And Alice's room is so masculine!" She laughed. "Come and have a look at our room dear. I keep forgetting you've not seen the whole house before. Lets have a bit of a tour."

**EPOV**

After the UPS guy had delivered all his parcels I helped both Renee and Charlie set up their laptops and gave them a crash course on how to use them. Renee was going to be fine, she sat online with Bella all the time, so she'd be able to help Charlie after I left.

They'd both thought the laptops were extravagant but also a great idea. So that part had been fairly easy. The boxes of clothes and things for Renee had gone down a little less well.

She'd protested loudly as the boxes were bought into the little living room. I tried to explain that Bella was concerned that her things would take a while to come from Phil's and she wanted her mother to be comfortable here, but she still protested.

I offered to take the boxes upstairs to Bella's room for her but she blushed and said she'd sort it out herself later on. I listened very carefully to her thoughts and knew the reason for her blush was because she'd stripped the sheets off Bella's bed yesterday and hadn't remade it yet. Which of course meant she'd slept in Charlie's bed again last night.

I quickly changed the subject.

"Bella has asked me to do her one more favor today Renee. You will be going back to work at some point Charlie?" I looked to where he sat in his recliner and he nodded, but didn't look up from the game. "Bella would like me to take you to get a car today Renee. So you'll be able to get around when Charlie is at work." I waited for the protesting.

"Oh that's really sweet, but that's ok. I don't need to go far. I can always wait till Charlie comes home of a day." She began.

"It won't be long before Bella can see you Renee, she is doing remarkably well, a month, a little more, but it wont be a year like we'd predicted. She'd like for you to be able to come to the house to see her and I know she is looking forward to having you do things with her. You can't do that if you don't have a vehicle at your disposal." I tried my best to argue it rationally so she'd give in. I could hear her running over the reasons why that wouldn't work, how she could decline the offer without resorting to stamping her feet and pouting. Eventually she gave in.

"Ok. That makes sense. I do want to be able to go to your house whenever she can see me, and I have no plans to go back to Phoenix anytime soon, so okay." She winced.

"Would you like to go now then? I have the time, Bella is at home with Esme, so we could go into town and sort it out now if you'd like."

"Sure, I'll grab my coat. Do you want to come Charlie? I don't know the first thing about cars."

"Edward does, I'm just gonna sit here and watch this game, you go, have a good time. I'll see you later Edward." He waved over his head and I went out to the kitchen to wait for Renee to be ready to leave.

This could be interesting.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 Building a New Home

**BPOV**

I was becoming vaguely aware of the burning in my throat as I followed Esme from room to room. She showed me Rose and Emmett's room that was all modern and chrome and metal and completely suited them both. They had a pair of rooms, the main room with their bed and then another little sitting room with two desks and shelf after shelf of car magazines and manuals lined up on them. I looked at that room longingly. It would be so nice for Edward and I to have a space like that, where we could just be together. I'd have to study a fair bit in the next few months to make up what I was going to miss, I figured I was going to need somewhere to do that.

We went along the hallway from Rose's room to another door and I knew it was Esme and Carlisle's suite. She pushed the door open and ushered me inside.

This, too, was a pair of rooms, only these were much bigger.

A dark grayish blue colour covered every wall and a panel of white painted flowers rose from the white skirting boards to a third of the way up the walls. The windows were covered with the same blue fabric and were held back by a pair of white tasseled ties. Between the windows was an ornate carved dressing table and a matching chair. Esme's cosmetics were spread across it haphazardly. A large white framed fireplace stood to my left and a pair of button backed blue velvet wing backed chairs stood side by side in front of the grate.

A glass topped table stood between them with a vase overflowing with flowers.

Two tall lamps with turned wooden poles stood either side of the fire. A framed portrait of Carlisle and Esme hung over it.

I could see an enormous claw footed bathtub through the open bathroom door and I gasped. It was gorgeous. Esme came to stand beside me and asked if I liked it. I told her how beautiful it was and she put her hand on my elbow and led me further into the room.

"We didn't need a study like Rose and Emmett, Carlisle has his downstairs, so I turned this into a sitting room. We hide here a fair bit." She said softly.

"It's beautiful Esme. You did all this?" I swept my hand around myself and she nodded.

"It's what I do. I've always loved interiors, it's what I was doing with my life before Carlisle changed me." She whispered. "Come, there's more." She led the way through to the double doors at the far end of the room, sweeping them open.

I expected to see just another room with their bed in it, but nothing prepared me for what was really in there.

The doors concertinaed back onto themselves and slid into the wall cavity. The room itself was the bed. Standing in front of the open doors meant you were standing at the foot of their bed. Blue silk the same shade as in the other room was covering the three walls of the bed, with a small frilled skirt at the foot end. A dozen pillows in various sizes and shades of the same blue stood on the bed and I stared wide-eyed. "Its amazing Esme."

"It's my favourite part of this house. It used to be a closet but when I saw it I knew it had to be our bed. It's a bugger to make though." She giggled and I was bought back out of my reverie.

"I bet," I laughed along.

"Oh Bella. There is a human about to arrive to collect the Volvo, I need to go and sign his paperwork. Will you be ok in the house? I hadn't thought of this." She said, obviously worried.

I couldn't yet smell the driver, but my thirst was beginning to get the better of me.

"I could go hunt, but I don't know if I can go on my own yet. I'll just go and hang out in Edward's room. I'll try not to breath." I smiled crookedly.

"I will be two minutes, I promise. I'll come straight upstairs the instant the paperwork is signed, okay?" She patted my arm and I nodded.

She ran off to greet the driver before he came up the steps and I went back to Edward's room. I didn't know Edward was having the Volvo taken away, he'd not said anything to me. I guess I understood why it would bother him, it being here. I didn't really want to see it myself. I pulled out my phone and sent him a quick text.

~Volvo being collected now. ? How goes car shopping? Miss you, love you. B xx ~

I opened the laptop and waited for the internet to connect. When it did I went in search of some design inspiration. Esme had given me a bit to think about just now. Edward obviously liked a modern look, he hadn't chosen anything particularly traditional for this room, or even anything from his own era, so I figured I'd stick with modern-ish.

The beep of my phone beside me made me grin.

~Volvo has been donated. Will explain later. Your mother is enjoying herself. Miss you, love you more, E xx ~

I went back to the page I'd found online and clicked on a few of the links. In a few minutes I had a picture in my mind of what I'd like to do in here. I'd have to talk to Edward about it first of course, but by the time I heard Esme coming up the stairs I had a fair idea.

"Come on in Esme." I called when I heard her outside the door. This hearing thing was growing on me.

"He's leaving now Bella. But it looks like you're not having any troubles." She furrowed her brow but it took me a few seconds to work out that she was actually wondering if my thirst had bothered me while a human was close by. I'd not even noticed really. I smelled him, of course I did, but apart from it making my throat a little tight and it burning slightly I could resist it without too much effort.

"Nope, no troubles. I had warning that he was coming though." I shrugged and she sighed.

"Amazing." She whispered. "What have you found there?" She asked, coming to sit on the end of the bed while I tilted the laptop round so she could see it.

She tilted her head from side to side while she looked at the page. "Do you like it?" I asked.

"Yes, I do actually. If you are thinking along those lines I think I can help." She came to stand behind me and used her finger to point across the screen. "Turn this around so it faces outwards, keep the desk here but move those to the side. We'll have to shop around for those though, but I think I know where to look. What about colour?" she asked, suddenly excited.

"Grey, black and lavender. With the chairs white. What do you think?" I really wanted to know what she thought, this was her job after all.

"It will be stunning. Leave it with me. Right now though I think you and I should hunt a little. I don't want you to be hurting dear." She nodded down towards me and I realized I had my hand to my throat.

"Huh. I didn't notice I was doing that." I grimaced.

"We won't go far, Edward will be back soon, and he'll want to see you. Send him a quick text while I lock up and we'll go." She smiled and I nodded.

~Esme and I are off for a bite to eat. Will you be long? Love you more, B xx~

I slipped my phone back into my pocket and flew down the stairs. Esme was already at the backdoor waiting and she took my hand as we ran to the river.

**EPOV**

I couldn't help the snort of laughter as I read her message. Renee was standing beside me trying to decide between a cream colored Ford Focus and a bright red Subaru Forester. I didn't care either way, they were both boring. She elbowed me as I laughed at the message and I tipped my phone over and showed it to her. She crinkled her nose up but laughed too.

"Gross," she muttered to herself as I replied.

~Play nice with my mom, I will be an hour, tops, if Renee ever makes a decision. What colour is my name right now? E xx~

I felt my dick twitch in my jeans as I snapped the phone shut. I shouldn't have sent that, but I just couldn't get my mind off her. I'd been away from her half the day already and I was fast approaching my limit.

Renee finally decided on the Ford and I groaned in relief. She threw me a sideways glance but I didn't care. I just wanted to be back at the house with Bella now.

My phone beeped and I held my breath while I read her reply.

~It was red, now its black, like your eyes are right now, am I right? Hurry, hour = too long. B xx ~

My entire body shivered as I flipped the phone shut. Renee was looking at me oddly but said nothing.

I signed for the car, checked on the delivery details for both mine and Bella's new ones – lucky for Andrew too – and found that they were booked for delivery tomorrow morning. I'd waited eight months for mine, having ordered it before we'd even moved here. I couldn't wait to get Bella's, but mine would be sublime.

I drove Renee home and waited until she was inside before I sped away. It was the world's fastest trip between Forks and my house. I didn't even bother putting the Aston in the garage, I just left it in the driveway. I couldn't hear her in the house when I opened the front door so I went looking. I hated not being able to read her, I'd know her scent anywhere though. I soon found it on the stairs and followed it up to our room.

She was lying on my bed, flipping through a bridal magazine when I threw the door open. She threw the book to the floor and sat upright against the headboard, grinning mischievously.

"Show me," I growled from the foot of the bed. I was already slipping my shoes off. She pulled her t-shirt aside and the inky blackness of her raised tattoo peaked out at me from under the thin material.

I pulled my jersey off over my head and threw it on the floor and leapt onto the bed and found her lips with mine.

"Oh come on Edward, Bella and I had plans this afternoon." Alice whined outside my bedroom door.

"Go away Alice, we're busy." I hissed as I kissed Bella's rosy nipple again.

"Fine, I'll go and buy all her clothes for her without her input then. I hope you like dresses Bella." She yelled.

Bella yanked herself out from under me and I yelped as she leapt across me and off the bed. "Alice, wait." She called. "Sorry, I don't want to have to wear dresses forever." She giggled, kissing me on the corner of my mouth as she threw on her jeans and shirt and ran out the door.

I groaned and flopped back onto the bed, frustrated. Sure, we'd spent the afternoon making love already, but that was hardly the point.

I cursed Alice once more and got up and got dressed. I know we had all night and it was unreasonable of me to want to keep her all to myself all day too, but I wanted to. I couldn't even bring myself to think about Monday.

I heard Alice and Bella giggling from the second floor as I went in search of Esme. I was determined to help her now, because the sooner Esme got the cottage finished the better.

**BPOV**

"I found a design online today and Esme is going to help me make it happen next week I think." I told Alice as we sat in front of her computer.

"Excellent. Have you talked to your mom today yet? How did she go with the car and the clothes do you know?" Alice asked, clicking pages on the internet.

"No I haven't yet. I got distracted." We both giggled. "I'll call them around their dinner time, see how it went. I know she picked a car out today though."

"So I know you want jeans and stuff, but what about other things?" Alice asked.

"What other things?"

"Underwear and dresses and coats and accessories. Bags, shoes, gloves, hats, scarves, sunglasses, jewellery. All those things." She asked as she opened yet another page and began clicking.

"Oh Alice I don't know. For now I just want clothes. And underwear, it doesn't seem to last very long round here." I sniggered.

"Hmm. Well. Lets order that first then." She clicked a few more pages and we began choosing things. I handed her my credit card and she smiled.

"Good girl Bella. It's not so bad is it, really?" she laughed.

"Not really, no." I laughed too.

"Hey mom. How was your day?" I spoke loudly and angled my laptop towards my face so my mother could see me as we spoke. The little webcam on the top of the laptop blinked red at me every few seconds so I knew it was filming me.

"Oh Bella you look fabulous!" She screeched into the laptop at her end.

I had almost forgotten that she hadn't seen me since my change so I wasn't prepared for her reaction. To me nothing too much felt different, but I knew my features had been refined and my skin was now a vivid white. The eyes though were probably quite a shock to her.

"I feel good mom." I answered carefully.

"The eyes aren't too bad, you know. They'd probably scare me silly if I was there in the flesh, but they aren't so bad like this. Don't worry darling." She crooned.

"Thanks. How was your day?"

"Fabulous. I picked a car, I can collect it on Monday. Thank you for that. Edward said it was from you, so thank you. " I waited, I knew she wanted to say more. "About the money Bella, it's too much. I've got a little savings and I don't mind using it while I'm here."

"No way mom. What's mine is yours. I don't want you to have to use your savings for this, I want you here, with me, so please say you'll take it. I have plenty more, thanks to Edward." I smiled widely, hoping she could see.

"If you insist. It's pretty amazing." She trailed off.

"What is?"

"Everything really. In the past four days you've gotten everything I ever wanted for you. It's amazing, that's all."

"What do you mean mom?"

"I wanted you to meet a nice boy and fall in love. Edward is all a mother could hope for and then some. I mean, lets be honest, he's stunning." She giggled, crinkling her eyes up at the edges as she laughed towards the camera. "You're living in a beautiful home, surrounded by your in laws that obviously adore you. You've got money and privilege and time. I didn't even think to ever ask for time."

"I only want Edward mom. The rest is neither here nor there. I love them all, equally, the family I mean. But if I only ever got Edward I'd still be happy."

"I know, that's what makes it so amazing. I'm really happy for you Bella."

"Where's dad, mom?" I asked. I hadn't seen him walk behind her at all, and I couldn't work out where she was talking to me from because her face took up most of the screen.

"He's still out, you can talk to him later, he'd like that. I'll help him get the computer set up."

"Yeah, I would like that. But, mom, how's it going there really? It's been a long time since you two had to live in the same house, is it really alright?"

"Hmm mm. It's fine." I could hear it again in her voice, something I couldn't quite put my finger on. I decided to do a little test.

"I don't mind paying for a hotel, or even renting you a place while you're here mom. I'll ask Edward where somewhere nice is, I'll sort it all out mom." I ventured.

"No!" she yelled into the camera. Her mouth was set in a strange grimace, like the idea offended her. "I mean, I don't want you to have to do that. It's fine here, really. We're getting along. I promise." She grinned then and I knew. My mother and my father were playing house!

**EPOV**

"She's online talking to her mother. She's a smart cookie, setting up a direct connection with the webcams, I never entertained the thought till now." I said proudly.

"Me either. Can you push that one up against that join?" Emmett said.

I pushed the plaster sheet up against where he pointed and I held it still while he nailed it in place. Emmett loved everything about construction. From the plans to the painting, he loved it all. He would be meeting with the builders on Saturday when Bella and I were safely away to the cabin, then he could supervise the last of the heavy work. Esme and Alice would put the finishing touches on the rooms while Rose and Jasper moved the furniture in. It was begin delivered tomorrow night, so Bella and I had to be away before dark. No problem, I thought to myself smugly, thinking about Bella in the Lotus, me beside her, flying down the highway. I shuddered, she was going to be magnificent behind the wheel.

"Did you pick a color for the bedroom yet lover boy?" Rose called from the spare room, breaking me out of my fantasy abruptly.

I ignored the jibe, "It's in the pot by the door Rose. She wants the back wall left white." I called as I lifted the next plaster sheet into place for Em.

"Dude the bathroom is phenomenal." Jasper crowed as he came from that end of the cottage with his arms full of broken tiles.

"Yeah. We like the water, what can I say?" I laughed.

"I heard." Jasper sniggered and the others joined in.

'Hey, be nice. I've had to listen to you bastards for half a century." I tried to sound mad but failed.

"Yeah yeah, play the victim card Ed." Jasper laughed as he dumped another load of tile fragments in the skip outside the door. I hoped Bella wouldn't hear the noise from the main house.

"Speaking of victims," Rose said, sticking her head around the door of the spare room, "Did she really break off the hunt?" I tried not to laugh at her, she had paint in her hair and at the corner of her mouth where she'd obviously wiped her hand.

Jasper stopped in the hall and leaned against the doorjamb to the bathroom so he could watch my face as I explained it. I'd already told him but he still didn't really believe me.

I fixed a wide, proud smile on my face, "Yeah, she did. Most incredible thing I've ever seen. She was hell bent on getting to them but then she just stopped in the middle of the trail and held her breath." I recalled the look on her face, I didn't need to tell them about that though. She had been horrified at herself, real disgust for the wakening recognition of what she would have done had fallen across her face and my heart broke for her. She would come to terms with it, at some point. For now she was busy learning about what she was now capable of, this was the fun all encompassing new bit at the beginning, the rest would come. It always did.

"How can that be?" Jasper shook his head as he went back into the bathroom. I heard him curse again in his head and I felt real sympathy for him. Bella's change had given Jasper some relief from being the new boy in class. Her thirst and her struggle to control it – while not something Jasper ever wanted for her to have to experience – would offer him some relief from always being second guessed by the family. If we watched and hovered over Bella now we might leave him alone for a bit, he had hoped we would anyway.

"Carlisle thinks it's to do with her preparation Jaz, that's all. That and it was a choice she'd already made." I said it quietly, they were all thinking about how her change had been so different from theirs. They were all a little envious that she'd come to it so easily, so far.

Rosalie snapped out of her reverie and stuck her head back out the door and into the hall before she asked, "And the tattoo, is that true too?"

"That depends on what you're asking, sister of mine." I had no intention of discussing my sex life with her.

"Does it change colour with her mood shit for brains. I don't want to know what it does when you fu…"

"Rose!" Emmett and Jasper bellowed in unison, very loudly. "That's my sister you're talking about." They said that in unison too. They were furious. I wasn't too far off it myself.

"Sorry, sheesh. Protective much?" she grimaced. "Sorry Ed. Does it change colour with her mood?" She rephrased, tilting her head in a show of apology.

I decided to let it go, she was only curious. I'm sure at some point her and Bella would gossip about it, at length. Just as I was sure the two boys would grill me about it at some point too. "Yeah. It does. It's changed its normal colour too. It was black before right, well now its soft brown, like our eyes." I still couldn't believe it myself. My dick twitched again as I thought about how black it was when I got home today.

"Cool. She's full of surprises isn't she?" Emmett cackled as he nailed the next sheet.

"Hope she likes this one." I mumbled as I held the next one for him.

My phone was vibrating in my pocket so I held the sheet with one hand and flipped it open with the other.

"Hey Alice." I said.

"Bella will be asking where you are in nine minutes time, you better be back here by then. Tell them I'm on my way." And the line disconnected. Nine minutes.

"Alice is on her way, hold onto your ass." I sighed. "I have to go, Bella's going to be looking for me in a minute. Thanks for doing this you guys." They sang out their goodbyes to me and I ran back to the house as fast as I could.

I had to keep Bella away from the house for another few hours so the others could use the louder tools and get that wall pulled down.

They were going to be loud tonight so I had to distract her. I couldn't take her away, I couldn't be sure what her reaction to humans was going to be yet, so going somewhere was out of the question. I wished I'd booked the cabin for tonight as well, we could be there now, already.

The idea of the cabin shook me to the soles of my feet. Bella in that tub. Aargh. I felt my cock getting hard just thinking about it. Maybe if I hunted tonight too I might be able to show some restraint around her? If I assuaged my thirst maybe my lust would abate just a little bit, making it easier to be away from her for the odd hour here and there?

**BPOV**

Charlie turned his webcam off as I said my goodnights. I chuckled to myself as I thought of the protesting I'd just gotten from him too, when I suggested my mother might be more comfortable in a hotel. He'd insisted he didn't mind that she was there, he's assured me they weren't fighting at all and that they'd be fine, that I should just concentrate on my thirst and hurry up because they were dying to see me.

I'd scoffed at his choice of words and he'd cringed when he'd realized his slip. I laughed though, and eventually he'd seen it for what it was too.

I opened the internet page I'd had open this afternoon and printed the page out. I'd stared at it a few times today and had decided I'd ask Edward what he thought before I went to find Esme and ask if she'd help me with it.

I closed the lid of the laptop and was just about to go and find Edward when I heard him calling me from downstairs. I ran out of the room and straight into his arms at the bottom of the stairs.

He kissed me soundly on the lips and then he'd dragged me off into the night. He mumbled something about a quick snack and then a swim. Hmmm. I wasn't hungry, but I could eat.

He still left me to feed on my own and I knew why. He didn't go far, I could always hear and smell him as he watched me. I was dangerous during the hunt, my instincts took over and I knew I was capable of hurting him if I thought my kill was being coveted. I'd felt a small twinge of it that first time, when he'd laid the deer carcass on the ground for me. I'd snarled and snapped at him as he'd walked away from it.

It had been the same when I'd smelled the hikers. My brain told me to get away from Edward as I went toward the humans. I'd hated that feeling, wanting to hurt Edward if he came between my kill and me. I knew he understood, but I didn't like it.

He'd hunted with me just now though. A small distance away, but always within earshot. When I first learned what he was he'd told me, pointedly, that he would normally only have had to hunt once every two weeks or so, but that since he'd met me he'd had to hunt more often. Now that I was no longer human I assumed that he'd revert to his normal appetites, but he'd fed just now. That was twice in two days for him. Ok, so he'd only taken down one deer to my three, but still. Something was up.

Edward had run off somewhere while I was talking to Charlie and Renee on the net and when he came back he was all dark eyes and deep breathing and I swear he was already hard when I pressed myself up against him at the foot of the stairs. There was something up with that too. Who runs off on their own and comes back hard?

When I felt full he tugged on my hand and we'd run, much further than we had so far, away to the east. We'd leapt across the river, my first taste of really being able to jump and it had been fantastic. Like flying. We went north then and followed the edge of the river until we were at the mouth, where it flowed into the sea. This was where Carlisle had opened up the boat that day and we'd flown across the water towards the beach.

"Why are we going so far Edward? Can't we swim near the house?" I didn't mind the run but couldn't see any logic in going so far.

He propped and I ran into his back as he pulled up. I giggled but he seemed distracted as he ran a hand through his hair.

"I thought you might like to relive our first swim together, that's all." He said it quietly, like he was testing my reaction.

"Sure." I said. He seemed to be watching all around us, like he was trying to see something he couldn't quite find in the dark. "What is it?" I slipped immediately into a defensive crouch and Edward gasped.

He pulled me to his chest and buried his lips at my neck. "No Bella, nothing's wrong. Sorry for startling you love. I was just listening. Making sure there was nobody out here." He pulled away slightly and I watched his face. He seemed sincere, but there was something off, just not quite right about this whole night. He was hiding something from me.

He tugged my hand and we walked towards the little beach. "Shall we?" He nodded towards the water and I grinned. I pulled off my jersey and jeans and stepped out of my underwear. Thank god my new stuff was being delivered in the morning, I'd had to hand wash these before I could come out tonight. That was going to get old real fast. I watched Edward step out of his jeans and let his boxers fall at his ankles. He was hard, so very hard and so very, very hot. He pulled me into his arms and I felt him pressing against my hipbone. As his lips closed over mine I closed my eyes and felt the sweet relief of being with him, skin to skin. It's the only time I felt truly at peace, like this, naked against his skin. I'd never be able to handle him being at school all day without me.

I lost that train of thought as he picked me up and walked with me in his arms into the water.

I had no fear of the cold anymore and the water felt as warm to me as his shower did. He kept me tightly to his chest and I felt his glorious hardness at my entrance as we sunk up to our chins in the water, I'd gasped. He grinned down at me and lowered his mouth to my neck and bit down as he thrust himself into me in one swift movement. I cried out at the sheer pleasure of it, being buoyant in the water and the complete sensation of being so full and warm at the same time.

I'd found my release within seconds and Edward followed soon after, voicing his pleasure loudly as he burst into me. I hadn't even had time to find out if I could hear his thoughts before it was over. It had felt desperate and needy just like that first time after my change. Hungry, that's how it felt. A burning need to be with him. I knew he felt it too. He couldn't control himself just now, he'd just taken me, without reserve and it was mind blowing.

**EPOV**

Oh for fucks sake. I'd had to scream to cover the sound of the wall crashing to the ground inside the cottage right as I was about to cum. Fucking hell, that bitch was out to crucify me for some reason. I knew it was Rose who was pulling the wall down tonight, she had won a bet with the two boys and was looking forward to a little wanton destruction. Ok, so she could hardly know that I was about to cum when she'd let the wall fall, but still, it was still her fault that I'd nearly not cum at all because of it. Bella would think I was some sort of pervert, taking her like that.

When she'd asked why we'd gone so far from home I nearly buckled and just told her the truth. I didn't care about the surprise anymore, I hated lying to her.

She'd noticed when I was listening before too, she knew something was up. She'd caught me out earlier too, I knew she'd felt my erection, as I'd come back from the cottage. It was bloody stupid to think she wouldn't notice it. I'd stupidly let myself think about the weekend away in the cabin and I hadn't had time to let my dick calm down before I had her in my arms. Truth be told I just didn't care.

"What is it with you and water?" She asked as we bobbed up and down in the centre of the river.

"You like water too Bella, I know you do." I grinned down at her and I thought ruefully about the blush that would normally have settled on her cheeks right about now.

"Mmm hmm, I do, but for you…there is something about water that makes you…I don't know how to describe it exactly." We were treading water in about ten feet of water, she had her legs wrapped around my waist and we were perfectly buoyant, I was still inside her and could feel myself beginning to get hard again just thinking about how she felt submerged like this.

"Horny? Is that the word you were thinking of?" I laughed as I bucked my hips a little, watching her eyes close slightly and her lip tremble as she realized I was going to have her again, right now.

"Close enough, yeah." She whimpered as I began to stroke again.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

**BPOV**

I felt him hardening inside me as the water lapped around us and I felt impossibly hot. That he could want me again so soon, before either of us had actually calmed our breathing from the last time, heated me from the inside out. That he could want me like I wanted him, all the time, was so liberating.

I'd felt a little smutty for wanting him so constantly this past few days but knowing he wanted me too made me feel better.

I let my hair fall back into the water as he stroked inside me. Long, slow deliberate strokes this time. The urgency was gone from this. This was sensual, all about pleasure, not need. I felt his legs kick underneath us and then felt him steady himself in the sand as we went closer to the shore. He spread his feet and dug them into the sand to get a better purchase on his strokes. I groaned loudly as he gripped my hips and pulled me down onto his length.

"So beautiful." He whispered against my throat. He let go of one of my hips and used his free hand to tug my head backwards using my hair, and I cried out at the pleasure of it. The harder he pulled my hair the further back my head went into the water, the harder he sucked at my throat the further I arched my back. In this position that pushed him further into my pulsing centre and I whimpered as the first stirrings of my orgasm came to me. "Cum for me Bella." He groaned against my throat, his teeth digging into me in the most erotic bite. "Cum for me." He groaned again, hoarsely as I let it flow over me. My release sped through me with such force I yelled his name into the calm night air and lost myself in the sensation.

I sat back up in his arms and he put his hands back on my hips. I watched his beautiful face in the moonlight as he continued to thrust into me. I bowed my head to his shoulder and buried my own lips into his soft, smooth throat. I licked across his Adams apple and he groaned. A deep, low rumbling was coming from his chest as he quickened his pace once more. I could feel his tension building, he held me tighter and pushed himself into me with abandon. I ground my hips up to meet each thrust and I bit down on his shoulder as I felt him begin to pulse.

"I love you Edward, cum for me." I crooned against his slick skin.

I concentrated hard, listening for his thoughts as he pumped himself into me. I hissed against his lips as his hot essence spurted into me.

"_Oh Bella, my Bella, I love you baby. I love you…oh baby…yes…yes…" _He was thinking and I smiled against his lips. That's right Edward, I'm your Bella baby. He stilled his movements a little but continued to rock his hips into mine as the last of his climax shook him. That's when his next thought came to me.

"Thank Christ Rose didn't bang anything that time or I'd kill the bitch with my own hands."

**EPOV**

Bella leapt out of my arms and was on the sand screaming within half a second.

I hadn't even really blinked, let alone finished cumming before she started screaming. I blinked rapidly looking for the danger. I'd obviously missed something, I was so wrapped up in my orgasm, but Bella had seen it or heard it and she was protecting us both. She was crouched on the sand, her fists clenched beside her but she wasn't scanning the forest or even really looking around, she was staring straight at me, her ruby eyes glowing.

I ranged my mind out around me but came up with nothing other than the dull hum of the highway a few miles away. Even the cottage was quiet, the others had obviously finished pulling the wall down and had packed up for the night. I smelled nothing out of the ordinary either. A few small birds, the odd rodent in the shrubs that fringed the beach, but nothing that should cause such a violent reaction from Bella.

These thoughts took all of another half a second, but still she crouched on the beach. Her chest was heaving now, her eyes were thin slits as she growled and hissed.

"Bella? Baby? What is it?" I asked as I slowly walked to the edge of the beach. I felt ridiculous having this conversation naked, but she was naked too, so not so bad. I listened again but heard nothing. I flared my nostrils and took a deep pull. I could smell her venom but nothing else. "Baby? Tell me." I plead.

She slipped from her crouch and scooped up her clothes. I stepped forward, hoping whatever had spooked her had gone for her now, but she hissed and growled at me over her shoulder. What the fuck?

"Don't Edward. Don't you fucking touch me." She hissed, venom falling from her mouth as she tugged on her jeans and shirt.

I was stunned, shocked. What had happened? Was this the shift in her psyche Carlisle had mentioned could happen? Was she going to revert to type now and behave irrationally as most newborns did? "I won't touch you love. What is it? What can I do? Don't be frightened Bella." I crooned, trying to appear calm, though I felt anything but. I reached for my own jeans and slid them on. I knew she was going to run, I could see her scanning the trail we'd followed. I'd let her go. She'd go home, she had nowhere else to go. I'd be right behind her anyway.

I left my shoes and the rest of my clothes on the sand and took off after her as she ran. Straight in the direction of the house.

**BPOV**

I knew the bastard was following me, I could hear him, smell him. I could feel his fear. He was right to be scared. He'd used me, tricked me, I was going to kill her first, then him.

I let my anger consume me as I ran. I could feel the branches pulling at my shirt as I went but I just didn't care. I'd have new clothes in the morning, the car would be delivered and I could leave them all here. Fuckers. Treacherous, mind fucking fuckers!

Maybe I wouldn't have to leave? Emmett would kill me first and I'd be spared the agony of being alone forever. Yes, I'd find Emmett. Do what I was going to do. Then he could kill me. Yes. Good plan.

Edward was calling to me softly but I tuned him out. I concentrated on the sounds from the house. I could see the lights now as I jumped back across the river. All the lights were blazing, as they always did. Esme was somewhere humming. Carlisle was reading in his study, a ruffling noise as the pages turned. Alice was on her computer, shopping. Jaz and Emmett were in the living room watching a ball game. Rose was in the garage. Good. She was alone.

"_Oh god, what do I do? She'll hurt herself. Oh god. God. Carlisle! Help me." _I heard Edward think as he ran. I heard him, I heard him think while he was running. Oh fuck. Not now. Don't let this happen now. I didn't want to be able to hear him when I killed her, then him. It can't be that way.

I ran straight to the garage, I flung the door open and heard it crash back onto the hinges as it snapped and fell to the ground with a loud bang. Bang! Yeah, you bitch, I thought, as Rosalie came out from under the car she was working on.

"What's up Bell's?" she smiled, wiping grease off her face.

"You tell me." I snarled.

"Whoa. Calm down. What's up?" She let the rag fall from her hands as she slipped into a crouch. I mirrored it and began to lick my teeth, letting my venom flow.

"BELLA" Alice screeched beside me as she pinned my arms to my sides. "You're wrong." She screamed into my ear as Edward came and stood in front of me, between Rose and me.

That only made me angrier, he was protecting HER. "You fucking bastard. How could you?" I screeched, flailing against Alice's grip.

I saw Esme, Jasper and Emmett come into the garage and I heard Carlisle call from behind them to stay clear.

'_What do I do? I don't know what to do. She hates me for changing her, I get that now. But what's the problem with Rose?'_ Edward thought as he slipped into his own crouch. His was less strident, a little less tense than mine, but he crouched to defend her nonetheless.

"You waited till I was changed. You bastard." I spat at him. He stood straight, flexed his fists but rose out of the crouch. His eyes softened as pain flashed across his face.

'_She hates me. I knew it. I should never have…oh god…I've lost her…I only just got her and I've lost her…' _I shook my head as his thoughts came into my brain. He's lying Bella, I told myself. He doesn't love you, he loves Rose. He wants her. He said he'd kill me if Rose bangs anyone again.

"You lying fuck." I howled. "If you wanted her she was right here, all along. Even before Emmett. She was for you." I raged at him.

"Bella, you're wrong. It's not what you think." Alice cried against my chest as she pushed me backwards with all her weight. I was much stronger than her so I pushed back, trying to get at him. He stood impassively, his hands at his sides.

"Alice, show me, please." He cried.

I felt Alice stiffen as she showed Edward her vision. I felt the tingle of my tattoo as my anger coursed through me, up my throat and out my mouth as I roared at him.

"You fucking piece of shit. You've killed me twice!" I roared as he crumpled to the ground.

**EPOV**

"It's lies. All lies. That's not my words. That's a lie. I didn't, I wouldn't. It's a lie. I would never. I didn't kill you. Don't say that…I can't…I could never…Alice… I didn't…Bella…oh god…" it all came out my own mouth but it sounded and felt like someone else's words.

Carlisle was beside me, trying to pull me to my feet, but I couldn't stand. I couldn't feel my legs. I could vaguely hear Bella still screaming as Alice and Esme led her away from me. I didn't want her to go. I knew it would be the last time I ever saw her if she ran now.

"Bella please…it's all lies…you couldn't have… heard that, I didn't say those things." I was reaching out for her futilely, she was already gone. Away from me. Alice had taken her inside.

"Edward. What's happening? What should we do?" Carlisle was asking me but I was just shaking my head.

"I don't know. I don't know. She thinks she heard me say something that I didn't. She thinks I changed her to…I don't know…she believes that I…I…we were…in the water…I was trying to keep her away from the cottage…but she thinks I…"

"Is she hurt? Are you hurt?" he was asking me loudly. I shook my head, no. We weren't physically hurt.

"No." I muttered. I turned to Rose who was wrapped in Emmett's arms. They were both visibly shaking. "Rose, it's ok." I muttered again. "She doesn't mean it." I saw Rose cringe and I knew she was as stunned as I was.

"Jasper?" Carlisle asked.

"I don't know Carlisle. She was just angry. Angry and hurt. Confused at the beginning but really angry." He was shaking too.

"Stay here, please, all of you. I will go and check her out and then I'll come back. Please stay here, she is a little volatile." Carlisle said.

I didn't want to stay out here, I wanted to go in there and shake her, make her believe its all lies.

Jasper sat beside me on the floor and patted my shoulder. "We'll sort it out," he said quietly.

We each drew in and held a breath as we listened to Alice explain it to Bella.

**BPOV**

Alice threw me down onto the bed and told me to shut the fuck up and listen. Esme sat on one side, Alice on the other. Obviously ready to hold me down if need be, so I sat still, for now.

"You're wrong Bella. You're right about one thing, he did think what you heard, but you don't know what he meant. There is a cottage, in the woods, three miles from here, to the South. We've been refurbishing it for you and Edward, a sort of wedding present. Tonight we asked Edward to distract you so we could pull down a wall. We were using loud tools so he knew he had to take you far away. At the beach, when you were, just as he was…fuck…sorry Esme… when Edward climaxed, the first time, Rose let the wall fall and it was a loud bang. That's why he screamed out his release, to hide the banging sound."

She was pacing back and forth along the edge of the bed as she spoke. Her lips were a blur as she hurried to get it all out before I took off again on another bender.

"Then, the second time, when you heard him think what he thought, that was just a reaction from the first time. He didn't actually get to enjoy his, umm you know, the first time, because he was busy covering up the loud noise. So as he was coming down the second time he was sort of cursing Rose for the first time. He just meant that if Rose made another sound he needed to cover up this time he'd kill **her** with his bare hands. That's all." She sat on the end of the bed and watched me intently.

"Oh my god, what have I done?" I cried into my hands.

"It's ok Bella, he'll understand. It would've sounded exactly as you heard it, anyone could be forgiven for believing it the way you heard it. Shhh, it's ok. He'll understand." Alice crooned as she stroked my back.

"He'll hate me. I said so many hateful things. And, oh god, Rose and Emmett. Oh god." I shuddered. I'd hurt them all.

"Shhh. It's ok. It's all so new to you, these feelings are all so intense. And you don't know how to deal with any of it, it was bound to happen eventually, your anger I mean." Esme whispered.

"I think we might be overlooking something here." Alice stood beside the bed and offered me her hand, I took it and she pulled me up to stand beside her. "Bella can read Edward's thoughts." She winked at me and I heard Esme gasp.

**EPOV**

"Holy shit." It slipped out of my mouth before the thought registered. Bella could read me?

"Dude!" Emmett yelled. I looked to where he was standing with Rose, "Twice? Epic!" He raised his fist and I lifted my arm over my head back towards him and let him bump my fist. I didn't have the energy to tell him I could go at least four times in quick succession, so far.

"Is that what you were thinking then Ed?" Jasper asked. He was much more relaxed now the atmosphere had calmed significantly.

"Yeah. I guess I was." I stood up and went to dust my hands on my shirt, huh, I wasn't wearing one, so I rubbed my hands down my jeans instead.

I walked to Rose and tapped Emmett's arm to let her go. She stepped forward into my arms and I kissed the top of her head. "She didn't mean it Rosie." I crooned against her hair.

"I know. I'm ok. I was just a bit stunned, that's all."

"Thank you for not hurting her." I murmured as I stepped back and put her back into Emmett's hands.

"Yeah, right. She scared the shit outta me Ed, I need to go and change my panties." She laughed lightly.

I winked at her and went into the house.

**BPOV**

Alice told me that Carlisle was outside the door and he wanted to come and see me. I nodded and Alice and Esme left as Carlisle came in.

"You heard?" I asked, hiding my eyes.

"Yes." He came and sat on the edge of the bed and took my hand in his. "It's ok Bella. Nobody is angry with you. Total misunderstanding. It happens, especially around here." He laughed.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean any of it. I was just so angry and I couldn't control it. I would've hurt them both." I cried against his shoulder.

"No, I don't think you would have. You could quite easily have pushed Alice aside, you're much stronger than she is at the moment, even as angry as you were I don't think you wanted to hurt anyone."

"I think you give me too much credit, dad." I grinned at the term and he chuckled and patted my hand again.

"I like it when you call me that, you know?" He chuckled. "The others only use it when they have to, to stop rumors, you know?"

"I like it too."

"So, you can read him then?" He asked matter of factly.

"I guess so, yeah."

"All the time?" He asked.

"Not so far, no. Only when we're, god why is this so embarrassing all the time? Right, when Edward and I are having sex I can read his thoughts a little. And now, when we were running, I was really angry, I could hear him then too. And again in the garage."

"So at moments of heightened emotion. It could be because I used Edward's venom at the beginning, transference of his gift maybe. Good to know. Keep me informed, I do love new information." He chuckled. "Are you well, in yourself, now Bella?"

"Yes, thank you Dr Cullen." I giggled. "He's outside the door now, isn't he?"

"Yes, and that is my queue to leave. Don't be too hard on yourself love, we all go through it, it's a rough adjustment." He patted my hand and made to stand.

I threw my arms around him and kissed his cheek. "Thanks, dad." He winked at me and left.

**EPOV**

Carlisle came out of Alice's room and patted my shoulder as he went past me.

I slipped into the room and stood before her as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"You can read me?" I asked quietly.

She nodded her head but kept her eyes hidden from me.

"How long?" I asked.

"Only during sex or when I'm angry." She whispered and I watched her shudder.

"Do you love me?" I asked, a clenching in my gut sending a shiver of pain as I waited for her answer.

"Always." She whispered.

"Say it." I growled, taking a small step closer to her knees. "Out loud."

"I love you, Edward, only you." She whimpered. I took another small step and she opened her legs slightly and I stood between them, barely touching her with my own legs.

"Again." I growled, louder.

"I love you. Always, forever. I've only ever loved you." She said, clearly.

"Come." I said, holding my hand out for hers. When she put her hand in mine I pulled it to my lips and kissed her engagement ring. I pulled her to her feet and slung her over my shoulder. She gasped then giggled but didn't protest.

I walked out the door, nodded to Carlisle then Alice as I took my Bella upstairs to our room, slamming the door shut as we went through it. I threw her down onto the bed and forced my tongue into her mouth. I grabbed a handful of her hair, held her face away from mine, forcing her to look me in the eye. "I love only you Bella, only ever you. I don't want anyone or anything else but you. Mine." I hissed as I closed my mouth over hers.

**BPOV**

He tore my last serviceable t-shirt off my chest and licked his bottom lip when he saw how dark and raised my tattoo was. "It's the only way I can read you," he growled as he took my nipple between his fingers.

'No," I whispered, staring into his pitch black eyes. "You can read me better than you think." I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled his lips to mine. I sucked his tongue into my mouth and groaned against him. I pulled my lips away and trailed a row of kisses across his cheek. "Tell me what you think I'm thinking." I hummed against his neck.

"Aargh…so good…you're thinking you…aaah…yeah, bite me…you're thinking how much you love it when I do this…" He trailed off, lowering his lips to my breast.

"Mmm hmm. You're right…that's so good." I laced my fingers into his hair and pulled his mouth onto me harder. "What about now?" I asked against his ear.

"Um…oh god, yeah do that again…you're thinking you want me to bite you too…again, please Bella, oh god…" He couldn't finish a sentence, I was in heaven as I reached down and took him into my hand.

"Do you like that Edward?" I growled against his ear and felt him shiver. I rubbed my thumb across his head again and again feeling him pulse under my touch. He ground his hips up into my hand.

"_Taste me." _ Oh I will, I thought as I heard the first of his mental thoughts seep into my mind.

I ran my thumb over his head again and sat back a little so he could watch me put it in my mouth. I closed my eyes and heard him gasp as I licked my thumb clean.

"_Oh fuck. So hot. More." _He was thinking as he rolled my clit between his fingers. I groaned loudly as I took him into my hand again. I could feel the first stirrings of my orgasm building in the pit of my stomach but I forced myself to concentrate on him, only him, for now.

"How much more do you want Edward?" I asked, answering his silent plea.

His eyes flew open widely when he realized I'd heard him. _"More."_ Even his mental voice was harsh and raspy as he thought it. I let my grin spread across my face as I let him know I knew. "I can give you more baby." I whispered into his shocked face as I pushed him down so he was lying flat on his back.

"Bella?" he asked hoarsely.

"Shhh. Let me." I whispered in return as I settled myself across his legs.

I hadn't taken my hand off him, so once I had found a comfortable position, I began to slide my hand up and down his length again. I looked back up at him and saw that he had his hands over his face, his eyes probably shut behind his interlaced fingers. I'd never done this before and I was nervous, but when I heard him say, '_Yes…please…yes…please…yes' in_ his mind I grinned and ran my tongue from base to tip.

He shuddered underneath me and I loved it! I kept my fingers around his width but put my lips around his head and sucked gently. I had no idea what I was doing, but he kept moaning so I kept going.

He tasted of salty water from our swim and his venom, as sweet as ever to me. I used my tongue to lick all around the head and heard him moan loudly. I slid my mouth down lower over him, taking most of him into my mouth at once and he shuddered again. '_Holy fuck' h_e thought as I slid back up, then down again. I smiled with my lips wrapped around him.

I began a steady, though slow, pace. I used my hand to stroke where I couldn't reach, he was too long and it made me gag in the back of my throat when I tried to take all of him inside my mouth. So I stroked the rest of him with my hand and worked my tongue and lips over the top part. He was writhing under me now, bucking his hips as I came to the top of each sucking stroke. He was breathing very heavily and he'd put his hands on my shoulders and was now fisting my hair between his fingers.

"Oh Bella…baby…that's so good…oh…so…oh…Bella…" he groaned out between his teeth as I bent further forward and took a little more in my mouth as I got used to the feel of him.

'_Stop…you better stop…I'll come…please don't stop…oh god…I'll come if you don't stop…please…please…don't stop.' _His mental voice was torn between wanting his release and wanting me to stop, I had no idea which path to take.

I withdrew my lips and stilled my hand, my brain warring with the decision. I wanted to do this for him, I wanted to taste him for myself. But I wanted my own release too. He made the decision for us both as he pulled me roughly up on top of him. He held my hips with his splayed hands and thrust himself up and into me as I sat atop him.

He held me above him as I impaled myself on his length again and again, my hips grinding into his as I bucked and thrashed.

"Tell me." I growled as I felt my orgasm pulse through me. I ground my hips into his pubic bone and let the sensation wash over me. It tore through me with such force I was thrown forward. I braced myself against his chest as he pushed up into me harder, reaching for his own release.

'You're so fucking beautiful up there…I love you so much…so good…it's so good…I can't last…I need you too badly…I'm so sorry…I'm going to…aaah.' He was screaming this in his head as he came.

"I love you too Edward." I cooed as his climax pulsed into my centre.

"Mine." He whispered as I lowered myself onto his chest so we could let the last waves roll over us.

"Mine" I whispered into his ear.

'_Forever.'_ He thought as we rolled sideways and he tucked me into the crook in his arm.

**EPOV**

"You can really hear me?" I asked, incredulous.

"Mmm hmmm. I told you I could." She was tucked into the nook under my arm and against my chest and was still breathing quite heavily. I nuzzled her neck and drank in her gorgeous scent. She was tired now, and though she wouldn't sleep she should rest. I knew I should let her rest. But I really, really wanted to know more.

"But is it like a vague sound here and there or can you hear…I don't know how to describe it." I chuckled. I wondered if she'd heard me begging her to take me into her mouth? Oh god, I hope not.

"I heard that." She whispered.

"What?" I yelled.

"Shhh. God Edward, don't yell in my ear. You're worse than Alice." She whispered as she wrapped my arm back around her waist and snuggled down into the bed further.

"What did you hear love?" I whispered trying to keep the excitement out of my voice.

"I heard you when you were wanting me to, you know, with my mouth." She giggled lightly.

"Oh fuck. Oh, sorry. I mean, oh god. Crap." I pulled away from her and was preparing to get out of the bed when she pulled my arm back over her.

"Shut up Edward." She wound her fingers through mine and clamped her leg through mine so I couldn't leave the bed. "I'm hearing you more often now. Maybe it's something that I have to learn, you know? I'm only a couple of days old, maybe I'll get better at it as I, not grow, but get…no I wont get older either, what do you call it?" She asked and I laughed.

"As you go along love. Just say as you go along." I laughed against her cheek and she joined in, softly.

"Yeah, as I go along. Maybe I'll get better at it as I go along." She snuffled that lovely soft, contented sound she used to make in her sleep and I watched as she closed her eyes in rest. "Carlisle thinks it might be because he used your venom. I don't know." She whispered so softly I had to lean in to hear it.

"Maybe." I'd never changed anyone before so nobody knew what his or her own venom was capable of, so maybe that was the reason she could now hear me? She was amazing, I'd never, ever deserve her if I lived a thousand years.

"You do deserve me baby. But you gotta shut up now Edward" she snuffled again and I felt my chest burst with pride. She carried my venom in her body, she had taken some of me inside her and it had manifested itself into a gift! "Either get out or shut the fuck up now Edward," she crooned and I laughed, as did the six other vampires in the house.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 Pack Mentality

BPOV

They let me rest for two hours, that's it, that's all I got. Then Alice and Esme were at the door, pounding on it and yelling that if we didn't come downstairs right now they'd come in and drag us down there bodily.

I'd sighed but given in. No point arguing was there? It was three o'clock in the morning and there was no good reason why we couldn't join them all downstairs, so we just got up.

I pulled my jeans on but realized my shirt was now a rag. I had no other shirt, until morning when the deliveryman turned up, so I went through Edward's dresser and picked one of his. It was miles too big but it was soft and smelled of him, so I liked it a lot.

He grinned at me when he came out of the bathroom, looking his normal disheveled self, he crossed the room and nuzzled my neck as he inhaled into my hair.

"Miss it?" I asked.

"Love it." He whispered as he kissed my neck.

"Come on, we'll be in trouble if we don't go down there now." I swatted at his arm and he let me go.

We ran down the stairs and found them all sitting on the sofa, waiting. Eek.

I looked to Edward but he shrugged, I knew he knew what was going on but he obviously wasn't going to say.

"Come and have a seat you two." Carlisle said as we descended the last flight of stairs.

I crossed the living room and stood squarely in front of Rose and Emmett. I kneeled down so I was at eye level with them both and I looked from one to the other.

"I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean any of it. Rose, it was a misunderstanding, I'd never, I've never once, I wouldn't have hurt you. I swear." I hung my head to my hands and Rose put her hand on my hair.

"It's ok Bella. I understand. I'd have done the same if I thought Emmett ever…yeah, I would have done it too. No harm, no foul eh?"

I looked up to see her smiling down at me. "Thank you." I mouthed and she nodded. I looked to Emmett, he sat impassively beside Rose, his arm across the back of the seat, watching the exchange between us. "I'm so sorry Em, please forgive me."

He let his arm drop from the back of the sofa and he leaned over and whispered into my ear, "Anytime you wanna kick Eddie's ass, I'm your go-to guy, right?" He chuckled and kissed my cheek.

"Don't call me Eddie!" Edward warned from across the room.

I sat up straighter and mouthed 'love you' at Emmett and he winked.

Edward had taken a spot on the end of the long part of the sofa and as I rose from the floor he patted the spot next to him and I leapt into it. His arm settled around my shoulders and he kissed my hair.

"So." Carlisle began. "I guess the cat is out of the bag re the cottage?" He laughed. Esme sighed, I could tell she was disappointed.

"I'm so sorry I ruined it for you all." I said, meaning it.

"Pish." Alice hissed. "You and Edward are going to go away for the weekend and we are going to finish it, and you aren't allowed anywhere near it till after you tie the knot. That might speed things up a bit." She shot at me.

"What? I can't see it till after then?" Man, they fought dirty.

"That's right. So how about you pick a date then?" Esme asked.

"But I can't be anywhere near anyone yet, and I want Charlie and Renee there at least." I was a little panicked.

"We know that Bella, and it's okay, really. We have an idea and we thought we'd run it by you both." Carlisle said.

"Ok" Edward answered for us both.

"Sam and Seth are coming here at sunrise to give us the details of the new pack and what happened at the tribunal. Sam won't pose too much of a problem for Bella but Seth is human." Carlisle said and I stiffened. I couldn't use Seth as an experiment, I wouldn't, they couldn't make me.

"Seth has started his transformation Bella. While you were changing, his fever took hold. He is a few days away from phasing for the first time, so he's human enough for this simple test, wolf enough to protect himself if he needs to." Edward told me, turning to face me.

"Oh" was all I could say. I didn't know about Seth. I'd missed so much, there was still so many things I had to do, so much I had to say. It felt like I now had eternity but still not enough hours in a day to say the things I needed to say to people. I'd only managed to get Carlisle and Esme alone so far, I had five others I wanted to talk to, not including Seth and Sam. "They'll be here soon you say?" I waited until Carlisle nodded before I continued. "Okay, I'll go along with the test then, if you will all help me?"

Everyone murmured that they would and I relaxed a little. I still didn't like the idea that Seth was going to be used as bait, but if he knew about it and everyone else would shield him from me, I would try. If I tried really hard to resist him I'd be able to get married soon, much sooner than everyone thought. I'd be able to have Charlie walk me down the aisle and I could have Angela and Ben there and it would all be perfect. I felt the faint hint of the burn as I thought about Seth and the other humans.

Alice gasped and I looked to where she was sat between Jasper's knees, her eyes were glazed and she was quite obviously in the middle of a vision. We all waited while she worked through it, then all leant forwards when it was over.

"New Years Eve wedding, I love it Bella. Fantastic idea. Esme, we've got work to do, come on." She held out her hand and Esme took it and they skipped off up the stairs without even looking back at us.

'_So soon? Are they insane? That's five weeks away. That's insanity.'_ Edward thought and I jumped, startled that I could hear him so clearly. "What?" He asked when he felt me jump.

"You know very well that at least half of that duo is insane." I laughed as he realized I'd heard him again.

'_I fucking adore you Isabella Swan.' _He yelled his thoughts at me as he scooped me onto his lap and kissed me soundly on the lips, in front of everyone.

"Ahem, I'm a Cullen now, look, I have a crest and everything." I wiggled my wrist at him and he laughed heartily.

"Paybacks are a bitch, aren't they Eddie?" Emmett crowed when he realized I had heard Edward and answered his unspoken thought.

"Don't fucking call me Eddie!" Edward roared.

"Language!" Esme called from upstairs and we all fell about laughing.

**EPOV**

With Alice and Esme now off making wedding plans that left the rest of us at a loose end. When Bella hopped off my lap to go and sit with Rose I took the chance where I saw it and asked the lads to come down to the cottage to do some more work. To my astonishment even Carlisle agreed to come.

"What? Because I'm a surgeon you think I'm above getting my hands dirty?"He threw at me as the four of us ran at full tilt towards the little house. I shrugged my shoulders at him and punched him on the arm as I ran off ahead, he was yelling abuse at me the whole way after that.

When we got to the cottage he marveled at the changes we'd made and how far along it all was. He asked about the floors, the colours, and the bathroom – with the customary wiggle of his eyebrows no less – and then he asked if I thought Bella and Rose would be all right at the house.

"Bella always intended to speak with everyone, as alone as possible, after her change. She's getting there, slowly. I'm not helping, keeping her busy or locked away upstairs." I smirked.

"Aah, young love." He smirked back, "You'll have your hands full with Bella, she's going to keep you on your toes if she works out how to read you full time."

"Yeah. Don't I know it?" I grinned, picking up the paintbrush and standing beside him to paint the architrave around the kitchen doorframe.

I still couldn't get over how it felt knowing she could read me. It was, at once, strange and amazing and frightening. I wondered if my family thought this way about me always being able to read their thoughts? This sense of a loss of privacy, the invasion of a space that should be inherently private, safe. I didn't mind that Bella could read me, it just felt strange to know that she'd hear all my inner most thoughts and feelings.

It might help me, in a weird way, to act my age more. If I couldn't obsess over things, if she could pull me up before my thoughts got the better of me we might avoid some of what happened here tonight.

**BPOV**

When Edward and the boys ran off to the cottage – aargh, it was going to drive me nuts knowing about it but not being able to see it yet – I took the opportunity to stay with Rose. I still hadn't caught up with her to talk to her about what happened the day of my change, and I needed to do it before time got away from me too far.

So I slid down the sofa and sat next to her as we listened to Edward and Carlisle rib each other as they ran.

I turned to her and tucked my knee up under my butt. She must have known what I wanted to talk about because she began, where I couldn't.

"I'm sorry Bella." She said, which stunned me more than anything she could've said.

"What for Rose?" I felt like a goldfish again, sitting there with my mouth agape.

"For doing nothing that day." She hung her head and I yelped.

"No, no, don't feel that way, no Rose. I don't see that, at all." I took both her hands in mine and looked into her eyes. I could see she was in pain, because of me. "You were right, you know? It was a lot to give up, I know that now."

"You do? Do you regret it already then?" she asked, stunned.

"No, not at all. And I know why you still do, but we aren't the same Rose. I tried to explain this to Edward once, I still don't know if he understands. I'd like to try to explain it to you, if you'll let me?"

"I'd like to understand it Bella." She said softly.

"The night Edward told me what he was, what you all were, he told me that I'd never be able to have a child if I chose him. He also told me it was me making that choice, to give up my chance at motherhood, that made you dislike me so intensely." She put up her hand to stop me speaking, but I folded it into mine and kept going. "I know dislike is the wrong word, but it's how he described it at the time. I took a little time to think about all that, before I decided what I wanted. I had never thought about being a mother before, what it would mean to me, to my mom and dad. That must seem odd to you, me getting to seventeen and never having thought about it, but I hadn't, ever. When Edward said we would never be able to it hurt." She gasped. Thinking the worst I was sure.

"So you did want children and you gave it up anyway? Oh Bella. I knew it. I'm so sorry." She cried, again.

"No Rose. I'm not doing this very well. Hang on a minute. It did hurt when he said that if I chose him we'd never have a child, but not because I'd miss out on having a child, but because if I didn't choose him I'd miss out on him. I want Edward Rose, that comes at a price. I began to wonder what the women who couldn't have babies themselves, because of medical reasons or genetics, or whatever the reasons were, what they did when they found out. And they did what we'll do, they go on. They live their lives and they wonder what might have been. I'm sure some of them don't survive, and like Esme it breaks their hearts, but most of them survive it and they do their best. That's me Rose. I'll survive without it and I'll do my best to deserve the choice I made, I chose Edward."

"I didn't get to choose." She whispered.

"I know honey, I know. It was taken from you, your chance. I understand that. And that's why we're different, why I won't feel like you do in a hundred years Rose. I know you think I chose not to, but in reality I chose Edward, I gave up motherhood but I got Edward, for eternity. Fair trade, for me."

"For you." She said it very quietly and I knew she was mulling over all I'd said. "Thank you for explaining it to me. I understand a little better now. Can I ask you something please Bella?"

"Of course." I answered.

"Can I drive it, just once, before you go to the cabin tomorrow?" she laughed so loud it hurt my ears. I was so relieved the tension between us was suddenly gone that I laughed too. Soon we were both hugging and laughing and we didn't notice when the boys came to the back door and stood around pointing and laughing about the lezbo show.

Jasper elbowed Edward in the ribs and said, "See? This is just like when I caught her with Alice, in the Porsche, only she's got her top on this time." Jasper fell about laughing, Emmett and Carlisle joined in.

I looked to Edward, his face was stormy. Oops.

"_Bella if you hear this, I want you, now." _I saw the smirk on his face and felt my tattoo tingle. Hot damn!

I slid out of Rose's hug and told her I'd see her later. She just giggled, a real girly giggle, like I'd never heard her use before. Progress, who knew?

I walked to the backdoor, where the four boys stood abreast in the opening, I stood in front of Edward, squared my feet so I was ready to run the instant I could.

I pulled the collar of his t-shirt down and exposed my tattoo to him. I knew Jasper, who stood beside him, would see it too, but Emmett and Carlisle wouldn't. Not without leaning over, which I doubted they'd do.

The instant Edward's eyes settled on it I ran. Fast. Up the stairs and into our room. He was right behind me and I only had time to jump onto the bed before he leapt on top of me and tore the shirt off my superheated body.

Another one bites the dust, I thought, as the shirt hit the floor in tatters.

**EPOV**

Sam and Seth stood in the living room as humans. I knew Sam's scent would disgust Bella, as it did us all at first, but it was her reaction to Seth we were all worried about.

As the sun had crept over the river she had become less and less confident about the outcome of this little test. She didn't want to hurt Seth, or anyone, and she wouldn't be swayed by any of us that this was half the battle won.

Sam had greeted me politely, shaking my hand and enquiring after Bella's well being. I'd told him she was doing remarkably well and both he and Seth had smiled at that news.

Seth really was a very sweet boy, though even I could see the difference in him since Sunday. He'd grown in height and in build. His skin radiated his newfound heat and he held himself a little straighter as he walked. His change wasn't yet fully complete, but it wouldn't be long I guessed. From his mental thoughts he was eager for it to be over, like Bella had been, so that he could start his new life. He was also eager to see Bella, to make certain with his own eyes, that she was okay. I liked that about him, that his concern for her transcended what he was becoming.

I knew Bella was waiting for all of us to assemble before she came downstairs with Carlisle. She had asked him to come downstairs with her, which had hurt my feelings at first. But she'd explained that I would need to stay downstairs and greet both the wolves so that she could read what she could from my mind about how they felt. Carlisle would just be there for moral support if she needed him, I was the crux of the situation for her and that made me both proud and apprehensive. It was still very strange for me to have my brain picked.

Rose, Alice, Esme, Emmett and Jasper were in the living room at various strategic points, ready to pounce and pull her away if anything went wrong.

I heard them as they approached the top landing and I told Sam and Seth that she was on her way down now. I asked them to both stand very still and to not approach her unless she approached them, and even then they should be wary. I'd told them both about how she'd broken off from the hunt, but also stressed how very unusual that was and that none of us had ever encountered anything like that before, so we had no experience in this field at all.

I did my best to tell her everything was okay with my thoughts. I hope she heard me.

By the time they got to the second floor landing I could feel her fear and hear her trembling. Carlisle told me mentally that she was shaking and terrified and to prepare myself to intervene.

When she stepped off the last step I could tell she was holding her breath. I pushed positive thoughts towards her and stood beside her, with Carlisle on her right, in front of the wolves.

"Sam and Seth have both asked after your well being Bella." I started. Both the wolves stood stock-still but smiled at her. She smiled weakly back.

I put a hand under her elbow and quietly asked if she'd like to shake Seth's outstretched hand. She nodded and reached across the four feet gap between them. She took his hand and smiled warmly at him. I knew she had much to say to this brave boy and I wondered if she'd ever be able to do it.

Sam held his hand out and she took it next, shaking it enthusiastically.

"Take a breath Bella. You won't hurt me." Seth surprised me by saying in a quiet voice. "I'm so pleased to see you. I thought you were gone that day, I'm so glad you're okay." He was smiling warmly and from his thoughts I could see that he had a genuine affection for her, protective even. If asked I'd deny it, but I felt a little jealous.

"You're being silly." She whispered to me. "I'm so glad to see you too Seth. I was so worried about you." She grinned at him. She put a hand to her throat and I knew it hurt. I stood with my mouth agape, not just because of what she was doing but because she'd read me, again.

'_She is truly incredible.' _Carlisle thought and I smiled proudly.

"Can we sit down? Is that okay?" she looked from me to Carlisle to the boys and we all nodded. Alice and Jasper sat at the opposite end of the sofa to where Bella chose to sit. Rose, Emmett and Esme stood behind it. Bella waited until the boys had taken a seat and until both Carlisle and I flanked her before she spoke again. She was taking short, shallow breaths to minimize the amount of scent she took in but was doing remarkably well.

**BPOV**

"Thank you for trying to protect me Seth. It didn't work out quite the way we hoped huh?" I smiled a little at him and saw him shiver a bit.

"I don't know, you look pretty good to me, better than you did on Sunday, that's for sure." He cringed, and I watched as everyone around me cringed too, obviously recalling his or her own memories of that day.

"You've started your change too?" I asked and he nodded proudly.

"The day you woke up I got a fever. Sam talked the tribunal into letting me be his apprentice." He spoke with such pride, I was happy for him. He'd gotten what he wanted too, but for us both it had come at a price. I thought of their loss of Jacob and sighed. I took another short, sharp breath to stave off the thirst that was wracking my body.

"I'm sorry for your loss." I hung my head, knowing it was because of me that they lost one of their own.

"Thank you." Sam spoke in a very deep, hushed tone. "The tribunal has asked me to pass on its gratitude to you for protecting Seth that day Bella. On behalf of the new pack we thank you, also." He bowed his head to me.

I put my hand to my throat and Edward gripped my other hand tightly in his.

"I didn't really do anything, it was Esme." I gestured to where she stood and she put her hand over her heart and I copied it immediately.

"Thank you too, Esme." Sam said, bowing his head again.

"It was my pleasure. It's lovely to see you again Seth. Please say you'll visit us often?" He nodded as she smiled down at him from the back of the sofa.

"I'd like to relay to you what the tribunal has said." Sam looked to Edward and Carlisle and I knew he wanted to speak to the men only. It didn't irritate me at all, I was happy to leave them to it. I needed to hunt, now.

"Alice, will you come with me?" I nodded towards the back door and she stood, motioning for me to take her hand. I turned back to Edward as I stood and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I wont be long." I turned back to Seth and Sam and wished them all luck and to come and visit me soon. Then I took Alice's hand and we ran off towards the river.

"Wow Alice. Just wow. I did it." I stood on the jetty sucking in great gulps of clean air. She was jumping from foot to foot clapping her hands.

"I knew you could do it. We all did. Well, Emmett and Jasper had a stupid bet, but the rest of us knew you could do it. I'm so happy for you Bella. You'll be able to get married now!" She jumped up and down again and I joined her. I would be able to get married now!

"I'll ask you about the bet later, I need to hunt now Alice. Like now, now." I said.

"No problems. Lets go the other way up the river, you'll be sick of deer by now I'm guessing?" She asked and I nodded vehemently.

She took my hand and we ran. It was fun running with Alice, she didn't take the conventional route anywhere. She leapt up into trees, jumped off branches and launched us both off rocks and outcrops as we went up river. As we came to a little sandy reach in the river we slowed. We'd both smelled the caribou nearby, so Alice squeezed my hand and took off to the east. I stood still and took a deep pull of the smell and decided to come around from the north, hoping to cash in on my luck as they fled from Alice.

I heard hers fall to the ground and then her groan as she sunk her teeth into it and I prepared to leap on the first one that came through the break in the trees. My plan worked perfectly and soon I was sinking my teeth into my own meal. I closed my eyes and let the warm, sticky fluid run thickly down my throat. It was marginally better than the deer but nowhere near as satisfying as the carnivore had been. But it was warm and thick so I drank it down hungrily.

I heard Alice coming back through the trees and I stood and wiped my mouth as she joined me. "Feel better?" she asked.

"Yep. You?" I asked.

"Always." She grinned. She took my hand again and swung it between us as we walked back in the direction of the house.

"Have you seen it yet?" I asked.

"Yep." She popped the p. "It's gorgeous. I'll order it tomorrow. Does that mean we're on for New Year's Eve then?" She turned and began walking backwards, smiling widely at me.

"I suppose it does, yes. Are you really going to order my dress tomorrow? Should I at least see it?"

"I've already seen that you love it, so why bother with the details?" She turned back around and we walked normally for a bit. "I've seen what you want to say to me too, so you may as well just get it over with." She huffed.

"Oh Alice, there's so much I want to say to you. I don't know where to start." I meant it too. I owed Alice so much.

"Just say what you feel Bella. You know I love you and I'd never judge you for anything."

"Thanks Alice, I love you too, you know? You're the best sister I could have ever wished for." She grinned at that. "I heard you that day, you know? After Carlisle had begun my change. I could still hear everything. You sat with Edward and told him how guilty you felt, how sorry you were that you were too late to stop it."

"I was, I am, I still do feel guilty for that." She whispered as we sidestepped a fallen log.

"You don't need to, you know? This is what I wanted all along. I'm happier now than I've ever been. The circumstances weren't ideal, I'll grant you, and I'd much rather none of you had to suffer through that with me, but all things considered I'm pretty lucky."

"How can you say that Bella? After what we've put you through already?" She stopped walking and tugged me to a stop so she could shout that at me.

"Of course I'm lucky Alice, I not only got Edward but I got you all as well. But you especially. I've been an only child my whole life, I always dreamed of a sister, and I got you." I waited until she began walking again. "Thank you for what you did for me last night too." I shuddered at the memory, knowing I was quite happy to kill them both.

"No thanks necessary. It happens. A lot. We're a pretty volatile group, lots of strange dynamics. You'd be surprised at the misunderstandings that go on here. Highly sensitive hearing isn't all its cracked up to be sometimes." She winced at a memory.

We kept walking and I thought about what I wanted to ask her next. She'd probably already heard me ask in her head, so I knew being nervous was a waste of energy. "Hey Alice, will you be my bridesmaid?" I said it quietly, hoping she'd hear the emotion in my voice.

I guess she picked up on it because she flung herself at me and hugged me tightly. "Oh thank you thank you thank you." She wailed, kissing me on the cheek over and over.

"Calm down Alice, its only going to be a small thing anyway." I cringed.

"Mmm hmm. Sure it is." And she took off, running towards the house. Oh no, what's she planning now?

**EPOV**

As the truck rumbled up the driveway I asked Bella if she wanted to wait upstairs while it was unloaded. She seemed to think hard about that for a few seconds then she took a deep breath and shook her head no. She'd done equally as well when the UPS guy had arrived with her new clothes as she had this morning with Seth and Sam so I guessed she was beginning to trust herself a little more each time. She pulled a pair of dark black sunglasses out of her jeans pocket and slipped them on to cover her red eyes.

The closer the truck came to the house the higher her hand crept up her throat and I knew the burn had begun. She was astonishingly good at resisting but I knew how much it hurt her to do it. I remembered that burn so well, having lived through it everyday to be with her. Of course I felt the same initial sting as the driver got down out of his cab, clipboard in hand, and walked to where we were stood on the stairs. But I had had a century to learn to deal with it, ignore it, and I knew she ached as she stood beside me.

"Stop thinking about it Edward, god." She whispered to me and I winced. I was _not_ enjoying being read so far.

"You Edward Cullen?" the driver read off his clipboard and I nodded. "Sign here." He pointed to where my signature needed to go and I passed him the page back when I was done. "You Bella Swan?" He asked gruffly. I was about to remind him that he was speaking to a lady and that perhaps some manners might be in order, when Bella giggled.

"What?" I asked her as she handed the clipboard back.

"Nothing." She whispered in reply and I saw her mouth purse with the humor she found somewhere around us. "I'll tell you later. Look." She pointed to the trailer of the truck and we both smirked in satisfaction as the shiny black Lotus came rolling off the back. "Oh she's gorgeous!" Bella was hopping from foot to foot now, she was so excited I could smell her as she bounced.

"Well, go on then." I said. She looked at me cautiously, probably wondering if she could trust herself to only run towards the car and not the driver. I grabbed her hand and we ran towards the beautiful car.

I watched in a daze of love and lust as she circled it, stalked it almost, running her hand along the long plane of the cars body. She dipped down as she came to the rear end and I heard her soft giggle again as she ran a hand over the scoop.

She paused again to inspect the bright red brake calipers, they were the same colour as her eyes I thought idly. She opened the drivers' door and I heard her draw in a deep satisfied breath as the new car smell hit her nostrils. She stood a full foot taller than the car and she looked over the top of it towards where I stood beside the passenger door and smile beautifully at me and then she sank into the leather seat.

"Oh god, its better than I remembered Edward." she crowed in satisfaction.

I looked through the window and felt myself harden as I watched her. I shifted my weight awkwardly and dove my hands into my pockets to adjust myself before the driver returned with my car. I still didn't know if Bella knew what I was getting, or whether she realized I was getting anything at all. I assumed she'd have picked it out of my head before now, so I waited to see and hear her reaction as the back end of my Bugatti Veyron slid elegantly down the trailer and onto the gravel drive.

It was such a dark blue that it was almost black. I held my breath as the entirety of it was revealed to me as it rolled to a stop beside the Lotus. The driver got out and tossed the keys to me. "Awesome car. You're a lucky son-of-a-bitch." He said as I caught the keys.

"Tell me about it." I said smugly as I looked from Bella to my car. You have no idea buddy, no idea at all how lucky I am.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 Roadside Asistance

BPOV

Was it possible to fall in love twice in one year? I thought maybe it was as I sat in the driveway in my new car. She was so gorgeous I could hardly contain myself. I ran my hand over every surface and drank in the smell of the leather. Edward was stood beside the passenger door watching me and I caught a small glimpse of what he was thinking and instantly felt desire pool between my legs. God Edward, you dirty, dirty boy. Half my luck!

The others had gone off to school half an hour ago and Esme had gone to Port Angeles to source some of the things we'd need to do Edward's room, Carlisle was at the hospital already and we had the house to ourselves for a change. If it weren't for the car being delivered today we'd never have seen the outside of the house until the others came home from school at three o'clock!

But now that I was sat in my very own brand new car – I couldn't believe it, I owned a brand new car, I'd never owned a brand new anything before now – I was torn between wanting to drive it and to drive Edward into the mattress of our bed! God, when did I get so filthy? Oh yeah, when I met Edward. I didn't need to ask the audience the answer to that one.

I thought Edward would get in the car with me but he just stood beside it staring at the trailer some more. That's when I saw that the driver was unloading another car. This one was much bigger than mine, easily twice its length, and wider too. It was rounded, curvy all over. Long and sleek was how I'd describe it. It was amazing. It was so low at the front that it almost scraped along the bottom ramp of the trailer as it slid off it. It had enormous low profile tyres and huge flared arches. It was as low as mine but somehow it was menacing where mine was merely sporty.

Edward was rubbing his hands together in pleasure as the car rolled to a stop at his feet. He easily caught the keys as the driver told Edward how lucky he was. I grinned when I heard Edward's mental response. Hot damn!

I watched as the driver pushed the ramp back into the trailer, gathered his clipboard and drove off back down the driveway. I stayed in the car, the burn in my throat, while not unbearable, was painful. I could still smell him as I got out a few moments later and went to stand in front of Edward's new car.

He stood beside it with his palm on the roof caressing it lovingly. He seemed to be mouthing something but I couldn't catch it either audibly or mentally.

"Well, Mr Cullen. You've got yourself a mighty impressive piece of equipment there." I smirked as he stopped mouthing and turned to me, grinning like a schoolboy.

"That's what she said!" And we both screamed with laughter.

**EPOV**

I didn't know what was hotter, my woman or my car. Probably my woman, but the car was a very, very close second. I'd ordered it sight unseen, I'd only ever seen it in the brochure and now that it was here it had surpassed all my wildest dreams. Much as Bella had.

"You like it baby?" I nodded towards her car.

"Oh yeah, me likey plenty." She giggled.

"Good. Come here, I'd like to introduce you to what is going to be my second most prized possession." I reached out a hand and she took it and came to stand beside me. "Isabella Swan, soon to be Mrs Cullen, I'd like to introduce you to the Bugatti Veyron. Veyron, this is the love of my existence."

Bella giggled again as she leaned into my hip. "I'm very pleased to meet you Mr Veyron. I had no idea you'd be joining us today, allow me to introduce you to Ms Elise over there. I'm sure you'll be great friends. No copping a feel in the garage at night either, you two." She waggled her finger towards my car and we laughed.

I kissed her soundly on her lips and returned my attention to the car. Good god it was magnificent. I kept Bella's hand in mine but ran my other hand over the hood. So smooth. We walked around it and just looked. It was huge, much longer than I'd anticipated. Lower too. I'd probably have to fold myself in half to drive this one too, but no matter, it was a small price to pay to have one of these. I pulled Bella along with me as we made a full lap around it. She said nothing and neither did I. We just looked.

"Edward?" Bella asked as we came to the front again.

"Mmm hmmm?" I replied, still lost in the image in front of me.

"Can we drive them now?" She asked.

"Of course. Sorry. I was a bit lost there for a second, zoned out. Sorry love. I didn't mean to ignore you." I reached for her and pulled her into my arms. I put my hand in her hair and pulled her mouth to mine. I felt the familiar tingle as our tongues met and she groaned into my mouth as I sucked her lip into mine. With her curled up against me like this she was left in no doubt as to how, um, pleased I was that the cars were here. It wasn't the cars that made me hard, it was thinking about her _in_ the cars that did it every time. I hope she could tell the difference.

She pulled her lips off mine and grinned. I knew what was coming. "I can tell the difference baby." She smirked evilly.

"Hmmm. Not loving this quite so much as you are." I tapped my temple and laughed. She laughed too but I saw the tiny furrow in her brow as she did.

"Shall we take one out at a time or both?" she asked, changing the subject almost seamlessly. She knew I'd seen her expression change, we'd talk about it later.

"Oh Bella, please don't make me choose." I pouted. I wanted to drive the Veyron more than anything but I knew she wanted to drive the Lotus more than anything. I wanted to watch her drive it. Shit. What do we do?

She flipped her keys in her palm and sauntered over to the Lotus, opened the drivers' door and made ready to slip into it. Over the roof she purred, "Go out onto the one-oh-one, turn right at the Smiths Road exit sign, fourteen miles north there's a clearing. See you there big boy. Bring your equipment." She grinned and sank into her seat.

I heard the roar of her engine and shook my head to clear the very, very dirty thoughts I was having. I knew my mouth was agape I just didn't care. Hot. Totally hot. Hotter than the surface of the sun hot.

**BPOV**

Goldfish Edward standing beside a Veyron in low-slung jeans was hot. Totally hot.

I gunned the engine and the Lotus roared into life. I sped out of the driveway before my resolve left me completely. I wanted to drive this thing so badly, but I wanted Edward so badly, combine that with wanting Edward in either this or his new car and you had the makings of one very dazed and confused Bella. Hot.

With the power steering fitted the car now felt lighter and more maneuverable. I wondered whether that was because I was infinitely stronger myself now? No matter, I could pull the car wherever I wanted it to go with ease.

The pedals felt more comfortable too, I found I didn't need to concentrate too hard on what I was actually doing as I drove it. It all felt habitual. That wasn't the case in my old truck with my old brain. I could drive and think about a dozen other things without giving less attention to any one of them. I looked into the rear vision mirror and saw Edward right behind me. he was singing, and dancing! Never a more glorious sight was seen than my beautiful boy driving his new car while he sang and moved to his ipod.

My ipod was somewhere in the house, I had a vague recollection of it being played whilst I went through my change, but I'd not laid eyes on it since then. I settled for the media player on my phone. I pushed the handset into the holder in the console and pushed the button to flash up a playlist.

I was about to press play when I had another idea. I scrolled down my list of contacts, hit hands free and then dialed.

"You should be concentrating on the road Miss Swan." Came Edward's lazy drawl as he answered.

"So should you then!" I laughed.

"How is it baby?"

"Divine. Yours?" I asked.

"Incredible. Flawless. Worth the wait." I could hear the excitement in his voice.

"I'm glad. I see you dancing and singing there, what were you listening to?"

"Queen. Best band to listen to when driving. What about you?"

"My ipod is at the house, I think. I'll put my phone on in a second though." I grinned. I knew he'd ask.

"What will you listen to?"

"Muse of course. Is there anything else to bother with?" I laughed.

"Hmmm. Why are we going to Smith's Road Bella?"

"Haven't you noticed yet Edward?" I teased.

"Noticed what?"

"The sun's out and I sparkle!" I laughed.

"Oh baby, you'd be surprised what I notice!" I heard the line disconnect and then I saw him come up beside me. His head was thrown back with laughter as he took his hands off the wheel and gave his shoulders a little wiggle as he danced. I could hear the music through his closed windows and mine it was so loud. I shook my head as he sped off ahead of me. He was a blur by the time I had pushed play on my phone and hit the little paddle behind the wheel to crank the Lotus up a gear.

Two could play at that game. I no longer had to fear speed. So I put my foot to the floor and the Lotus shot out, reaching its stride as the needle climbed to 122mph without trying. The gentle hum of the engine never skipped a beat and it didn't even reach a roar as she skimmed over the slight bumps in the road. But still Edward was gone from my sight. He had shot off so fast ahead of me I had no chance to catch him. I had no idea how fast that thing of his could go, I'd never even heard of it, but as I approached 130mph I decided it must be some sort of nuclear machine and backed off a little on the throttle.

I let the Lotus wind back down and took the next curve at a leisurely 88mph. And thankfully I did too, because what I saw as I came around the next bend made me suck in a huge, painful, panicked breath. Oh my god. Edward!

**EPOV**

How fucking embarrassing was this?

I heard his mental thoughts before I saw the flashing lights but it was already too late, I'd been clocked. He got me good and proper. I'd flown passed him at such a clip the cruiser had shuddered as the wind in my wake hit him. I looked down and saw the needle on the Veyron sat at 166mph. It was going to be a hell of a fine, that was for sure. I'd probably lose my license – it wouldn't really matter, I had dozens of them. I'd lost them all at some point or another anyway - I chuckled as I pulled over onto the hard shoulder and waited for the cruiser to pull in behind me. I patted the steering wheel lovingly and told her how much I loved her. 166 and not a shudder, gorgeous, glorious. As Bella once asked, plenty more in the tank baby.

I laughed softly at Charlie's mental voice as he walked to the window and motioned for me to wind it down.

"Hello son." He drawled, unamused.

"Hey Chief Swan." I figured I should show him the utmost respect while he was in uniform.

"166, I registered you at 166, where's the fire?" He was already writing the ticket.

"No fire. But if you look behind you you will just be able to make out your daughter in her new car, we were racing. Sorry." I grinned and he cringed.

"_Shit, should I leave? Will she be hurting? What do I do?" _Was what he thought. What he said was, "Bella? Outside? Is that safe?"

I watched as Bella slowed the Elise down to a stop behind the cruiser. "Let me talk to her Charlie, I'm sure she'll be fine, but she'll be waiting to ask me first, okay?"

He said fine and went and stood back against the guardrail as I dialed. He was nervous as hell but really wanted to talk to her, to see her.

"Hey baby. You okay back there?" I asked.

"I'm fine. Are you?"

I laughed, only Bella could be concerned about me when she was faced with her own father, the human, and battling her thirst. "I'm fine baby. Your dad wants to talk to you, but I said I'd ask what you thought first. I'm getting a ticket." I laughed.

"Yeah, well, my dad is the law, you know. I'm coming up there. Can you hop out of the car though, you know, just in case?" I heard the worry in her voice and tried to send her positive encouraging thoughts.

"Ok, I'll tell him and I'll meet you at your car." I pushed the button to end the call and stood out of the car. Not so bad, I didn't have to fold myself completely over to get in or out, but close enough.

Charlie was tense and worried and was looking down to where she had parked with scared eyes. I stood in front of him and put my hand on his shoulder.

"It's ok Charlie, really. She's been near a couple of humans the past couple of days and has done really well. She wants to come and talk to you, but I'll go and walk with her, ok?" I waited till he nodded and continued, "If she has any problems she'll run Charlie, so don't be frightened or offended, ok?"

"I'll try. God. I'm scared. Is that wrong?" He looked up at me with terrified eyes.

"Not wrong, normal Charlie." I squeezed his shoulder and he nodded grimly.

I went to the Lotus and held my hand out for her. Charlie watched as she kissed me lightly on my cheek and held my hand. We walked towards him and I heard her take a sharp intake of air, holding it in. I could feel her wanting to pull her hand out of mine and I knew she wanted to wrap it around her throat. "It's ok my love, I know you can do this. Run if you need to, he's prepared for that."

She nodded at me and we took the last few steps toward Charlie.

"Bell's, you look amazing." Charlie whispered as he got his first look at his changed daughter. I listened as he thought about the changes she'd made physically. To him her hair was thicker, a richer colour. Her face was more refined, sharper features. He thought she was stunning and I smiled. Then he looked up and took in the colour of her eyes and he gasped. It was always a shock.

Bella stiffened beside me but said nothing. If she were anything like I had been when I was first changed she'd be feeling ashamed and disgusted right now. I squeezed her hand in support. "They'll fade Charlie, a few weeks more and they'll be more brown like mine." He nodded but never took his eyes off her face.

"Are you well Bell's?" He asked gingerly.

Bella looked to me and crinkled up her eyes. I knew she wanted to talk to him but she didn't trust herself to do that knowing she had to take in the air around her to do it. Her thirst wasn't only ruled by scent, it also relied on taste. She would be able to taste Charlie in the air.

**BPOV**

This was my father, and while the burning in my throat was agonizing, this was my father. I'd never hurt him, no matter what he smelled like.

I swallowed the venom on my tongue and prepared to speak. I knew I'd taste him the instant I opened my mouth so I steadied myself and settled the calmest expression on my face I could muster.

"I love you daddy." I managed to squeak out before I clamped my mouth shut again. I let his flavour settle across my tongue and I felt instant relief that it wasn't any worse than Sam's or Seth's had been. Enticing but repellant because I loved him.

"Oh I love you too kiddo. Thank god you're alright, we've been so worried." He held out his hands in front of him as if he wanted to touch me but I couldn't let him do that, it would be too much. So I just smiled at him.

"You don't have to worry dad, I'm doing great." I winced as the pain flared in my throat again as the air floated over my tongue and teeth.

"Will you call us again tonight, before you go away? Please?" He asked and I knew he realized I was almost to my limit. I nodded, tilted my head to the side in apology and fled back to my car, slamming the door violently to block out the smell and taste.

I dialed Edward immediately, he had his phone in his hand as soon as the ringtone sounded, he handed it straight to Charlie without answering it himself.

"Hey dad, I'm sorry about that, it's not you, it's me, really." I panted into the phone.

"Hey, don't be like that, come on. What you just did was amazing, fantastic actually. I didn't, we didn't think you'd be able to be near us for a year, months at the very least and you just did so well. Edward looks like he's just seen Jesus he's so impressed kiddo." He chuckled lightly and I was grateful that he was trying to understand.

"Yeah, he does that." I giggled. "Do me a favour dad?" I asked.

"Sure kiddo." He answered.

I started the car and put it in gear before I replied, I waited till I saw Edward turn to face me, he had a confused look on his face, as I pulled out onto the highway.

"Check his license and papers and give him a huge, huge fine. He drives like a lunatic!" I waited till I heard Edward bellow his laughter before I told Charlie I loved him and closed the phone.

**EPOV**

Charlie laughed so hard he dropped the phone onto the tarmac. I picked it up, ready to talk to her if she was still there but it was beeping.

We both stood there laughing for a few minutes. She was a classic, god I loved her so much.

"Jeez." Charlie was hunched over trying to breathe.

"Oh yeah, you said it Charlie. Jeez indeed." Almost as an afterthought I added, "She sure looks damn good in that car."

"You said it son." He answered and I opened my eyes in shock. Before I could say anything he continued, "She looks so happy. Thank you, for that."

"I think she is happy Charlie. She's had her moments, last night was not great, but I think she is happy." I didn't want to elaborate on that, but if I put it out there he might talk to Bella about it and then I'd know she was at least working through her shit with someone, she sure as hell wasn't with me.

Ok, so apart from sex and hunting we'd not done much together, but I was hoping this weekend we'd get time to just talk.

"You okay there, you went a bit funny then?" Charlie asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm good. It's still a bit, you know, daunting." I said truthfully.

"I can only imagine." He said.

I walked back to the Veyron and waited at the door. I had my hand on my jeans pocket ready to get my license out, I knew he was going to ask for it. He grinned at me sheepishly and held out his ticket folder and I took my wallet out. I handed him my license – the one I was using at the moment anyway – and waited for the ticket.

"How many of these have you got exactly?" He asked.

I laughed, "A few." I smirked.

"I'll bet. Well, this one won't do you much good anymore, you've just lost this one. Ninety-one miles over the speed limit will eat up them demerit points pretty fast." He was chuckling softly to himself as he wrote out the ticket. "Is there much point asking for your registration and insurance papers?" He asked, handing me the license back.

"That depends Charlie." I said, grinning.

"On what?" He asked, his eyebrows knitting together in the centre.

"Which version you'd like to look at? The ones that say I'm a seventeen-year-old hoon driving an as yet uninsured vehicle or the ones that say I'm a twenty-six year old – I think those ones say I'm a med student – or the ones that say I'm a musician from Ohio?" I smirked again.

"It's uninsured?" He cringed.

"Yep. I let it roll straight off the truck half an hour ago and I got straight in it, didn't give it a second thought. I'll take care of it when we get home, I swear officer." I grinned and he cringed again.

"And Bella's car?" He nodded towards where she had just driven off to.

"Nope. That one's not either. They're registered, but not insured, as yet. We forgot. Things got busy, you know?"

"Yeah, I was there." He grimaced. "So here's the fine, pay it and we'll call it even. I don't want to see any false papers, what I don't see I can't lie about. I'd tell you to drive carefully but I know that's not going to happen." He laughed lightly.

"I'd lie and say I will, but, well, I'm not going to." I chuckled loudly as I got into the drivers seat.

"I gotta say Ed, it's pretty impressive. Bugatti, right?" He asked as he looked from front to back on the car.

"Yeah. Veyron. Eight months I waited. Worth it huh?" I looked down the hood and sighed. It was glorious.

"Yeah. Ok son, you had better go catch up to her or you'll never live this down. I suspect you'll have your hands full trying to stop her teasing you for quite a while anyway." He rubbed the back of his neck and I saw in his thoughts that he was uncomfortable now. He didn't want to tell me to go and have a nice time driving far too fast with his daughter, but he also didn't want to curb our fun either.

"Hey Charlie?" He said 'yeah' and I stuck my hand out the window to shake his hand. As he took my hand I said, "I won't let anything happen to her. Next weekend, I'll come get you and you can take it for a spin yourself, okay?"

The wide smile and the genuinely happy thoughts that came to his mind right then were worth the $900 fine any day.

"Yeah, I'd like that. See you Edward." He stepped away from the car and I threw it into gear and sped off. Not too fast though, he was still the law around here.

**BPOV**

I turned into Smith's Road and gunned it up the dirt road until I saw the clearing. I threw the brakes on and slid it to the side of the road in a perfect power slide. I loved this car, I wanted to have it's babies, I wanted to lie beside it on cold winters nights and stroke it.

Ok, maybe not that much, but a lot.

It would be a while before Edward arrived, Charlie was no doubt grilling him on the importance of driving carefully like he always did to me. I had a few minutes so I thought I'd call my mom and tell her what had just happened.

"Hey mom." She answered on the second ring.

"Bella! Sweetheart, how are you today?" She sounded pleased to hear from me so I smiled.

"I'm great mom. I just saw dad!" I squealed in delight.

"Oh my god, how, where, why? How did you go?" She was stumbling over her words in order to get them out.

"Long story, but my new car got delivered today but Edward didn't tell me he'd ordered one for himself too. Some big thing, real fast. Anyway, so we're hoiking it down the highway, real fast mom like stupidly fast and Edward flies past me at some sort of nuclear speed and I let him go cause I figure I can't catch him anyway. So I come round a bend and there he is sitting in the emergency stopping lane, and get this mom, he's getting a speeding ticket, guess who from?"

"Oh god, not your father? Oh god, he'll kill him. Oops, sorry. I mean, he won't be happy about that." She was giggling though.

"Yeah, he didn't look too amused. But I talked to him mom. That's really why I'm calling. Edward was right there just in case, but I talked to him. Like face to face." I was so excited.

"That's fantastic news! I'm so happy for you. Oh that's great. I can't wait to see you Bella. Was it really ok for you?"

"It wasn't easy, but I was ok yeah. Not for long, I didn't stand there and chat or anything. I said a few words and it was tough, but I did it."

"I'm so proud of you and so jealous!" she laughed.

"It wont be long mom and we'll be shopping and going out together again, I promise." I could hear her sigh on the other end of the phone.

"I hope so. I miss you." She sounded sad now.

"Hey, don't be sad mom. A few weeks, tops. Besides, you've got a wedding to plan." I teased.

"Has there been a date set?" She yelled into the phone.

"Yeah, New Years Eve. Is that corny do you think?" I asked.

"Oh no, it's perfect. How romantic. Will you be up to it by then? It's only a few weeks away. Oh shit, it's only a few weeks away. There's so much to do. Oh, is Esme home? I'll call her. Alice will want to go for dresses. And a cake, nobody does a nice cake around here. Aargh there's so much to do." she was rambling again.

"Mom, mom, calm down. Esme is out today, she's gone to Port Angeles but she'll be back tonight. Alice is at school mom, they go to school, remember? Look, I'll call you again this afternoon, I promised dad I would talk to you both again before Edward and I go to the cabin for the weekend, so I'll talk to you more about the plans then. Esme will be home so you can talk to her too. If you are staying home today I might be able to come by for a few minutes on our way back later, is that okay?" I asked. I didn't think it was fair that I had seen Charlie and not her, so I figured I'd ask if she wanted me to.

"Oh yes, please. Are you sure?" I could hear her excitement again.

"Yeah mom, I'm sure. Edward will be with me and I want to show you my car anyway. Gotta go mom, Edward's here now. Talk to you later on, love you, bye."

I snapped my phone shut and stood at the hood of the Lotus and watched as my very own personal god drove up the dirt road and screeched to a halt not half a foot from my legs. I watched him unfold himself from the drivers seat and stalk towards me. He put his legs between mine and pushed his hardness against my hip, pushing me back so that my legs were up against the grill on the Lotus.

He put his lips to my ear and let his breath wash over me as he hissed, "I've bought my equipment with me as requested."

**EPOV**

We were lying in the tall grass at the top of the cliff listening to the roar of the ocean as the waves battered the rocks below. We couldn't see the waves because we were too busy looking up at the clouds. It was a perfectly sunny day, the kind of day she loved as a child. I remember those days, where I'd have to hide myself like a criminal and watch her from the shadows as she played in the sunshine. Now we were both free to enjoy it. I did like the sun, we all did. It warmed us just as it did humans.

I was running a lazy fingertip up the outside of her arm watching the glitter of her skin shine as she talked about what she wanted to do with our room at the main house. She'd already asked if she should bother, if we were going to live in the cottage after the wedding anyway. I'd told her that neither of us would be comfortable away from the family long term, that was something I'd learned over the years. And even though, I'd explained to her, I was dying to have her all to myself inside our very own space, she too would long for the company of the others after a time. She had scoffed but I knew what I was talking about.

There were a lot of hours to fill when one didn't sleep. She'd not had too much of that so far, it only being three days since she last slept, but she would come to the same conclusions after a few years. We all did.

I'd told her about the nomadic vampires I'd come in contact with over my time and she listened intently as I told her the stories of my past. Some not so nice, but always the truth.

So we spent a little while talking about what to do in our room and came to the conclusion that something modern, not feminine not masculine, was what we wanted. Esme had already agreed to help her do it, so that would be what she'd do when I went to school on Monday. She very pointedly didn't want to discuss that so I left it alone, for now.

Every now and then she'd roll towards me and we'd kiss, or hug or caress or tease or tickle. It was such a fantastic afternoon. We sat up and watched the storm clouds come in over the water and as the first spits of rain started we headed back to the cars.

Bella had agreed to collect Rose from school this afternoon so she was heading there then to her fathers to see her mother. I needed to go into town and sort out the insurance details – I had promised her father after all – and said I'd meet her at her fathers after that.

She was looking forward to driving the Lotus back to town and even more she was looking forward to having Rose in it with her. I knew she was proud that she'd picked something Rose had approved of.

I kissed her sweetly on her lips as we parted ways at the cars and sunk back into the leather of the Veyron with a satisfied sigh. "Hello my pretty, have you missed me?" I thought as I pushed the start button and put my foot to the floor and spun the wheels out of the clearing and heading for the highway.

I looked behind me to make sure she was there and smiled as the Elise came into view, a thick rooster tail of dust being thrown up behind it as she fish tailed it along the dirt road. That's my girl Bella, I thought smugly.

When I hit the tarmac my phone began to ring so I hit the hands free and said hello.

"So, which one of us is your pretty then huh?"

"Ahh, well, if you are going to eavesdrop on private conversations between a man and his car you're going to hear things you don't want to hear my dear." I laughed heartily.

"I see. I'll tell you what, I wont try and hide my conversation with my new car, I'm going to be generous and let you listen in. I'll pull along side you and after I'm done talking to my car I'll race your ass back to Forks, I'll see you at my dad's later yeah?" She asked.

"Okay Bella, I'll make sure I listen intently to you and your lady car talk." I laughed.

I hit end on the phone and slowed so she could pull alongside me in the central lane. When she was level with me I heard her laugh. And then I heard her talking to her car.

**BPOV**

"Oh baby. You smell so good. So, so good. And your seats are all warm and inviting, like sliding into a warm bath. Mmm. I do love a good bath. Oooh, your stick is so big, I love wrapping my hand around it as I pull on you to stop you. So, so big. Do you like it when I caress your stick like this baby? Yeah, that's it, hum for me honey. Just like that. Oh yeah, growl as I put my foot on you, that's it, you dirty, dirty boy…"

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I heard his mental thoughts after that.

"_Holy fuck, I'm going to crash this fucking thing on its first run."_

I'd made my point, so I put my foot down and floored it all the way to the outskirts of Forks. He was right behind me, swerving this way and that, but he wasn't dancing and he wasn't singing this time. This time he was chanting filthy, filthy things at me, things he was going to do to me when he got me alone at the cabin tonight. Oh. My. Fucking. God.

He tooted his horn as he turned left to go to town and I turned right to go to the high school.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 Big Brother Bear

**BPOV**

"Oh my god Bella, this is h-o-t hot." She pronounced each letter individually as she slid into the passenger seat. Like Edward she had to fold herself in half to get in.

"Glad you like it. But I gotta get out of here fast, it's like a fucking smorgasbord here." I nodded to where the hundreds of people were swarming out of the school buildings towards the parking lot and Rose nodded.

Soon we were swerving along the highway heading back out of town. Rose convinced me to let her have a drive so I drove a few miles out of town, turned the Elise around and parked up in the emergency lane so we could switch seats.

Rose groaned loudly as she sank into the seat and started running her hands over the dash.

"It's fucking gorgeous Bell's. It's amazing that you picked this, I never had you pegged for a Lotus kinda girl. More a Volvo, Saab, Audi sort of chick. But this…this is … to quote Emmett, this is epic!" She laughed as she pulled on the flappy paddles and we roared off.

"So glad you approve. Your brother got a ticket, a large one, from my father today. I didn't get caught." I sniggered.

"Your dad caught you out here?" She was shocked.

"Yeah. It was okay, I was okay. Sort of, I didn't last very long and I had to run back to the car, but it was okay."

"Shit. You're amazing. It took me two decades to master it and you've done it in two days. Amazing." She shook her head and looked in the rear vision mirror before she pulled on the paddles again and giggled, "Watch this."

She hit the brakes and threw the car into a slide and as she tugged on the steering wheel we went from side to side across the two lanes of the highway, fishtailing along as the back end slid out from under us. It was awesome!

"Can you go to my dad's? I promised my mom I'd stop there for a few minutes on our way home."

"You sure? Um, I'll help, but you're pretty strong." She was worried, I could tell.

"Edward is meeting us there. I was okay with my dad and I think my mom felt a bit left out, seeing as he's been able to see me and she hasn't, so I'll just stay for two minutes." I shrugged.

Rose turned us into Charlie's street and slowed as we came to the driveway. Edward's car was already parked there and Rose let out a long, slow whistle. "Holy shit, he wasn't kidding. I'm driving that fucker while you two are away. Hurry up, go talk to your mother, you two need to be away, soon." She grinned.

**EPOV**

I heard the low rumble of the Lotus before I heard Rose's inner voice swooning over it and I sat up a little straighter on the step.

"Two minutes Renee, they'll come from there." I pointed in the direction the car would approach from and she shuddered. "It will be fine, I promise. You'll be amazed, she's doing so well." We'd been sitting here for a little while already. Renee was becoming more comfortable with me but I could tell she was nervous and frightened, much as Charlie had been, about seeing Bella for the first time since her change. I decided that since her mental voice was in such turmoil I'd do my best to put her at ease before the car came into sight. "When Charlie saw her today he admitted, to me, that he was frightened. It's ok to be scared of her, of us. You should be. That's a normal reaction. We aren't offended by it, we all understand it."

"I don't mean to be afraid. I know you'd never hurt me. Even if I didn't know you I think I'd understand that you aren't a monster Edward. You're a good guy."

I was floored. I had mere seconds to answer that before the car arrived. So I blurted out what came to mind first. "You have no idea how much that means to me, Renee."

"Do you think, after you're married, that you might like to try calling me mom? Would that be too weird considering you're old enough to be my, what, I don't know, grandfather?" She laughed lightly at the end but I was again stunned.

"Really? You'd want me to call you mom? I'd love that. Renee, thank you. So much." I wanted to hug her but I didn't know if she could tolerate that. I sucked in what probably sounded like a huge gasp as she took my hand in hers and patted it.

"Of course I want that, I'm going to be your Monster-in-law Edward." She giggled and stood up as the car pulled into the drive in front of us.

Rosalie leapt out of the car and waltzed up to Renee, "Hey Renee. What do you think of your girl's new wheels? Pretty impressive huh?"

"Flashy, that's what these two are." She pointed from me to where Bella sat in the front of the car and I chuckled.

"Renee, Bella will be waiting for me to walk with her up here. Will you wait with Rose? Just be yourself, but please don't be frightened or offended if she runs from you, please? It's how she'll deal with her thirst if it gets too much, she'll run from you."

I waited until Renee nodded and I could tell her mind was in turmoil. An equal mixture of longing to see her child and fear. My heart clenched for her pain as it had for Charlie's.

I walked to the passenger door of the Lotus and waited until Bella had calmed herself and taken a deep breath in, holding her lips tightly shut to avoid both taste and smell as she had with Charlie. She opened the door for herself and I hated that simple gesture. I was supposed to open it for her, but I had to let her do it herself just this once because only she knew when she was in control enough to exit the car safely.

She put her hand in mine and I rolled her engagement ring between my fingers as I always did. "Are you sure Bella, your mom understands if this is too much? It's been a big day already love."

She shook her head violently so I took the first step forward and she followed, half a step behind me. She was clenching and unclenching her hand that was in mine and I again instinctively knew it was so that she didn't wrap it around her burning throat.

As we approached Renee Rose came to stand slightly in front of her, the side but more in front than side on. Bella and I stopped in front of Renee about four feet between her and us as she held her hands firmly at her sides, trying to look calm. Her mind told me she was anything but.

**BPOV**

Oh god this hurts so much. The fire in my throat made me think about the burning I did on that table and I cringed away from my own mother in fear. I hated this. Not being able to take her hand, she so obviously wanted me to, as Charlie had.

I'd heard her and Edward's conversation, the tail end of it anyway, as we'd driven into the street and I just wanted to hug my mother now, so badly. I wanted to tell her how much I loved her and how grateful I was that she'd stayed when Phil had left. I wanted to tell her how proud I was that she was getting to know Edward and his family, how excited I was to be getting married soon, how much I wanted her to be able to plan it with me. But I couldn't. If I opened my mouth and said more than one line I'd have to run and I didn't want to do that. So I steeled myself to make my one, small statement and then I'd run back to the car and hide from the delicious scent that was my own mother.

Edward and I came to stand at the foot of the stairs, Rose was braced half beside half in front of Renee and Edward stood beside me with his hand in mine ready to pull me away at the faintest hint of loss of my control.

I tried so very hard to make him proud of me.

I closed my eyes for a split second then opened my mouth.

"I love you mom." The same burn I felt when I'd spoken to Charlie this morning ripped through my throat and down into my stomach. It made my eyes water and my venom flow and it was horrible, I was horrible, I was a monster for wanting my own mothers blood.

"Oh baby, I'm so glad to see you. You look so, so…" Renee looked to Edward then to Rose then to me, searching for the word to describe me

"I know…" was all I could get out. I covered my throat with my hand and pulled my other hand out of Edward's and fled back to the safety of the car. Sliding into the drivers seat and starting the Lotus with a roar. I was gone, down the road and heading in the direction of the Cullen's house before my mother had a chance to cry out.

The phone rang within seconds me of me turning left onto the highway. I didn't need to look at the caller ID to know it was my mom.

"Bella honey?" Her sweet voice came out at me as I hit the button.

"Sorry mom. Bit too much for one day." I scowled at the road in front of me. I felt weak and stupid and ashamed.

"Don't apologize. I loved seeing you, at all. Come back soon, okay?" She sounded okay, not upset or anything.

"I'll try mom. I'll be online later though, dad made me promise."

"Great. I'll make sure I'm there when you are too then. Hey Bella?" She asked.

"Yeah mom."

"You were beautiful before but now you're smokin' hot baby cakes!" And she giggled, actually giggled like a schoolgirl. I could hear Edward laughing in the background and Rose was giggling along with Renee so I joined in.

"Thanks mom. Thanks for not freaking out on me. I'll talk to you later. Can you put Edward on for a second please?" I asked, still laughing.

"Sure honey, love you, here he is." I heard my mom say to Edward that I wanted a word and he was still laughing when he took the phone from her.

"Hey love. Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, but I need to hunt. I'm going to ask Emmett to go with me, I haven't talked to him at all since, well at all. Is that okay?" I was still trying to catch the two boys alone so I could talk to them about my change, I only had Emmett and Jaz to go and I wanted to do that before we left for the weekend.

"Of course Bella, you don't have to ask my permission to do things." It sounded like he snorted!

"I know that, but I wanted to let you know, I know you worry."

"I used to worry. I'm a new man, or hadn't you noticed?" He chuckled and it was the most beautiful sound in my world.

"I love you Edward Cullen. And I had noticed. I notice a lot of things. I'm home now so I'll go find Emmett, I'll see you in an hour or so yes?"

"You will indeed. I love you baby. Bye."

"I love you too. Play nice with your new mom." I laughed and hung up.

I pulled the Lotus into the driveway and went to find Emmett.

**EPOV**

Renee was relieved that Bella had been able to even stand in front of her let alone speak at all. So she wasn't too distressed at Bella's outburst or the fact that she'd only last about five seconds standing in front of a human.

"She looks so good, so confident. I don't know what I expected but it wasn't that." Renee said as I flipped my phone shut and slipped it into my pocket.

"We weren't either, Renee. None of us has ever seen anything quite like her." I shook my head but smiled.

"Wasn't she supposed to be all screeching and clawing and writhing?" Renee asked with a grimace. That was exactly the picture we'd painted for her.

Rose was walking around and around the Veyron running a loving hand along it as she answered Renee, "She was supposed to be all that but for some reason she's almost completely in control, I've never seen it before, have you Eddie?" She asked.

"Don't call me Eddie Rose, god, how many times woman?" I shook my head at her and Renee laughed. "I've never seen it, no."

"And you two are planning to tie the knot on New Years Eve I hear?" Renee asked me as she came down off the steps and walked across to the mailbox and took out the sheaf of envelopes.

"Yes." I said as the widest smile I could muster spread across my face.

"I can see that you're happy about that, tell your mother I'll be calling her tonight to talk about it all." Renee said.

"Come on Edward, I want to drive this thing. Chuck me your keys?" Rose asked but I shook my head.

"No way Rose. You called me Eddie, that puts you in the sin bin till after we leave for the cabin." I chuckled at her scowl but she went to the passenger seat and started flicking dials anyway. "I'll talk to you again later Renee, and I'll tell Esme you'll be calling. Bye." I waved over my shoulder as she walked back up the stairs as she sifted through the mail. "Rose, don't touch that shit. I've just set it…" I howled as I folded myself into the racing seat.

**BPOV**

I snapped my phone shut and went to change my clothes while I waited for Emmett to come back from the cottage. I had said I'd meet him there but he was quick to say no, damn, I thought I'd be able to trick him into giving me directions!

I went up to Edward's room, oops our room, and looked at the opened boxes of clothes that were strewn all over the floor. My new clothes and things had arrived only ten minutes before the cars so I'd only just pulled out a new t-shirt to wear but didn't really sort through anything this morning. I would do it after I'd been to hunt with Emmett I decided as I pulled another clean shirt and some new soft faded jeans out of another box. It was a little like Christmas really, all these new things for me to discovery inside the boxes.

Alice had offered to sort them all out for me and pack me a bag for the weekend away but I'd said no thanks seeing as I had nowhere to put any of it anyway.

It would only be a little while until this room was to be changed so didn't see much point in making room for my stuff only to have to take it all out again when new furniture and stuff started arriving on Monday anyway.

I pushed the boxes up against Edward's closet doors and went downstairs to wait for Emmett.

I was only just reaching for the remote when he came bounding through the back door and threw himself into my lap on the sofa!

"Hey little sis…you rang?" He grinned as I sighed under him.

"Yeah. I'm hungry, you want to hold my hand?" I batted my lashes, playing all innocent like.

"Like you need me to hunt with you Smella! Ed and Alice have told me you're doing great, so what gives?" He grinned down at me as he adjusted himself in my lap so that he could see my face.

"I saw my mom and dad today for the first time _and_ I picked Rose up from school this afternoon so I've been pretty much surrounded by humans today and I'm not confident I'd be able to resist one if I came across one on the hunt. So please say you'll go with me?" I said shyly.

"Sure I will. Come on, I'll show you where the big boys hang out." He patted my leg as he got up off me and then reached for my hand.

"Thanks big brother." I took his hand and let him lead me out of the back door. As we began the first strides of our run I shot over my shoulder to him, "If you call me Smella again I'll kick your ass."

I watched in fascinated horror as Emmett wrestled with the black bear. It reared up onto his hind legs and struck out at him but he swatted its front paws away and then tackled it around its middle before they fell backwards onto the ground.

I held my breath as I watched, not scared for Emmett but totally in awe. He was the consummate hunter was Emmett. He stalked his prey, toyed with it then put it swiftly out of its misery only when he was certain it knew he'd won a good fight against it.

I'd had my fill on two small deer and a plump little bobcat that I'd found snoozing on a rock face in the sun. After the deer his blood had called to me, it was stronger and meatier than the deer and my throat had burned instantly at the thought of it. I was sloshy now, that's the only way I could describe it, my stomached sloshed it was so full of warm blood.

Emmett had finally decided that the bear knew he, Emmett Cullen, was king of this particular forest and I watched with wide eyes as he threw it to the ground and pounced on its neck. He bared his teeth and roared into the trees before he sank them into its fur at its neck and then he sighed heavily as he drank.

Where Alice had been dainty Emmett was stealthy. Where Edward was graceful Emmett was pure power and strength. I wondered what they'd call me? Clumsy and messy probably if the state of my clothes was anything to go by. I had mud and yuck and blood all over the bottoms of my new jeans and my hair was matted and glued to my head from the chase.

I hung off in the trees until Emmett was done with the bear carcass and as he stood he stretched his arms out wide and gave another giant roar. He really was an awesome sight. Pure muscle and strength. He wasn't pretty like my Edward but he did have a certain appeal in the way that he saw everything so brutally simply. I envied him that. To be so absolutely sure about everything, very black and white, right from wrong so clearly without the need for internal, or external from what Edward had told me, debate.

"Hey Bella, come on down from your perch sis, we'll stroll back." He held out his hand to me and I jumped down from the branch and landed squarely at his feet. He chuckled and I took his hand and we walked.

"Can I talk to you about some stuff Em?" I asked gingerly, testing the waters.

"I know what you want to talk about Bell's and to be honest I've been looking forward to it. I've got a lot in common with you, do you realize that at all?" He asked as we headed out onto the open trail.

"Hmm, no, I hadn't given it much thought. I mean, obviously now I'm changed we've got a lot in common, but what else?" I asked, intrigued.

"We are both the product of imprinted relationships." He said matter of factly.

"Yeah, I guess we are." I took a moment to think about that. Edward had told me that Rose had imprinted on Emmett but I hadn't thought too much about that because I knew that he was changed almost immediately afterwards.

"When Edward first imprinted on you he fought a lot with Carlisle about what that would mean for you. I pulled them off each other a heap of times over the years. It got so they could hardly be near each other sometimes." He paused while I took that in. I knew he didn't tell me that to make me feel bad, but I did. "I had always assumed that because Rose imprinted on me only minutes before that bear had it's way with me that I'd had my choice taken away. You know?" he shrugged.

"Yeah, I know what you mean by that. I asked Edward if I had a choice in the matter the night he told me what he was. Did you hear that bit that night?" I asked.

"Nah, we were long gone I think by the time that bit came up." He said quietly. "Rose had always told me that she knew she loved me straight away but I never really, truly believed her until I saw how Edward was with you when you were little. It was like he had no option, no other thing or person would sway him from you, and how he felt about you. It was more than a compulsion, it was a way of life for him." He rubbed his hand across his neck just like Charlie did and my heart melted for this huge man, he was such a softy under the tough outer bravado.

"You must have thought he was nuts, imprinting on a human?" I asked.

"At first yeah, I did. That first year when he wouldn't come home at all because he couldn't bear to be away from you I did think he'd lost his mind. I mean, I knew what Rose had told me about it but we'd been together from the instant we'd met so it wasn't the same as for Eddie." He chuckled and so did I. I knew Edward hated being called that. "But as things went along and you grew up I worked out from watching the way Eddie was about you that Rose had been that way about me too, but she'd never really had to go through what you guys did because I was changed straight after."

"I'm glad you and Rose didn't have to go through what Edward did." I said, rubbing my thumb into the back of his hand. "I'm glad she found you when she did and fell for you straight away. I hate thinking about the years Edward spent without me, waiting for me." I said it very quietly because it did actually hurt to think about.

"See you get it, why does Alice think I'm a nutter when I tell her this shit?" He laughed.

"Yeah I get it. I wonder if Alice imprinted on Jaz or whether they were just destined for each other to meet the way they did?"

"I don't know what Jaz did to deserve that little bugger but it must have been pretty fucking horrific!" His booming laughter rang out around the forest.

"Hey! That's my future sister in law and brother in law you're dissing there big guy." I said with a mock scowl on my face.

"That's pretty cool Bell's, I'm going to enjoy being your brother in law for real. Been a long time coming." He squeezed my hand and I smiled.

"Thanks for always sticking up for me Em."

"Always Smella." He chuckled but went on, "That day, in the driveway, with the dog, I wanted to kill him myself you know?" He rubbed his neck again and my throat clenched shut.

"Yeah?" Was all I managed to squeak out.

"I knew Eddie was going to do it, so I knew I'd missed my chance, but when I saw you fall to the ground I just wanted him dead, simple, easy, just dead." He took in a deep breath and I knew I wasn't going to like the next bit. "I watched Eddie's face as you fell to the ground and even though we all knew you would be changed and come back to us I'll never forget his face. If I close my eyes I can still see yours, but his…" He closed his eyes and blew out the breath.

"Don't Em. It all worked out, I'm fine and happy, so don't." I rubbed his arm with my free hand and held onto his hand tighter with my other.

"I was always on your side you know? I fought with Eddie too, over whether you should have a choice to be changed or not. I was on a different wavelength to Carlisle about it though. I didn't want to wait until you had to be changed, like from an accident or some shit, I wanted someone to stick their hand up and tell you they'd do it just because you wanted it. I didn't want any of us to have to go through what happened on Sunday, least of all you." He had stopped walking and we were stood at the edge of the lawn now, he had both my hands in his and he leant over and put a chaste kiss on my cheek.

"You're not sorry I was changed then?" I asked, wondering if he thought, like Rose, that I'd miss something one day that I'd given up.

"Yeah, I am sorry, of course I am. Nobody wanted this for you. After watching dipshit, sorry, Eddie and you be together without any serious problems I thought that you guys could probably spend a long time together before you'd need to be changed." He shrugged as he said it and I knew he thought that made perfect sense to him. That I'd live with them, be with Edward for a long time and then I'd die, old. Edward felt the same, before.

"I thought maybe we could too, but I guess fate intervened huh?" I said not altogether sadly.

"I wanted to hurt Phil." He said very quietly.

"You did?" I was shocked. I didn't think of Emmett as violent, I mean, he was a vampire and very strong and fairly prone to using violent measures to protect the family but I never saw him as needlessly violent.

"Of course I did. We all did. That he'd just fuck off like that, and not just because he was leaving you but also your mom. I get why he didn't want to know, you know, about us. But how could he just leave her here to deal with it on her own like that? Jaz and I had a plan, we were going to follow him when he left here, thinking he'd go hang out in a hotel for a couple days till he flew out. But Eddie booked him a car and a seat on a flight so it never came about, but we had him pegged." He grinned menacingly and showed me his teeth. I cringed.

"Jeez Em, remind me to never piss you off, okay?" I squeezed his hand and laughed, hoping he'd laugh too. His face clouded over and I knew he was thinking about something unpleasant for him. "What is it?" I prodded gently.

"When you started screaming," he looked at me and I winced, "Eddie ran and I ran with him."

"Okay." I said quietly, I knew there was more and he just needed a second to come to terms with it in his head. This was what we were out here for after all.

"He was broken Bella. Truly broken. I knew you were going to be okay, Carlisle had told us that your heart was beating and that your skin was hardening and shit, so we knew you would come back to us. But I started to seriously question whether Edward would survive your change." He blew out a breath and my heart clenched in pain.

"Was it like that for Rose, with you?" I asked.

"I don't know. I think it might have been, she refused to speak of it once I was finished, but yeah, I guess it probably was." He slowed the pace of his steps so I knew he was concentrating hard on what he wanted to say. "Alice told me that you are Eddie's singer, do you know what that is?"

"No, do you?" I was intrigued now. I'd never heard that term before.

"I know what it is but I've never seen it before. Your blood sang to him. It called him, like above everyone else's. He craves human blood, we all do, you know that shit first hand, but your human blood sang to him. It tortured him and I never knew, he never said a word until a few weeks ago when he told Alice."

"Why would he keep that to himself, surely someone could've talked to him about it or tried to help or something?" I felt sick now. He had been through so much, so much I didn't know about.

"I don't know. Alice thinks he didn't want anyone's sympathy and that kinda makes sense. He thinks it was bad enough that he wanted you, imprinted on you and you were human, I can only guess what he thought when he realized you were his singer too. Would've hurt, I know that much."

"Christ, I had no idea." I wrapped my free arm around my waist, a left over human reaction to pain, I tried to hold myself together. "Did he talk to you about it that day then?"

"No, he's never told me about it. I guess he doesn't need to now, but he never said a word. He's incredibly brave I think, real bravery. I'd never have been able to do what he's done, even though he nearly didn't make it either." He trailed off at the end and I desperately wanted to know what he meant.

"What happened in the clearing that day?" I asked half-heartedly. I thought I wanted to know but I wasn't sure I wanted to actually hear it.

"He fell." I sucked in a gasp. My Edward fell? My perfect, sure-footed Edward fell? "First time I've ever seen him put a foot wrong. Maybe he did before, like in the first few days of his change or some shit, but I never saw it before. Broken, that's what he was. He just sat there for a second and I thought maybe he'd actually lost his mind, cos his eyes were all glassy and sort of, gone, I suppose. He wasn't really there for a second." Emmett stopped and stood completely still, lost in his memory of that day. He jerked forward and began again. "So I laughed. I laughed at him, like really laughed, you know, because it was so funny to see perfect Eddie-boy sitting on his ass on the ground like that. And then he laughed and then, well, he was himself again. Still hurting, but okay. But I'll never forget that. The agony he went through with you. I wont want to think about it too often Smella, but I guess now that I've seen it for myself, what an imprint goes through while their mate is changed, that I'll understand Rosie a bit better."

"I truly am sorry for what I said, and did, last night. I never meant to hurt you or Rose."

"I know that. Hell, I'd have helped you flog them both if there was any truth in what you heard. Even though the fucker cheats by digging through your head I reckon I could take the little prick. I just have to work out how to distract him well enough first. Any ideas?" He grinned down at me and I knew he was goading Edward who would be able to hear every word.

"If I ever work the answer to that one out you'll be the first to know Em." I said as I stepped into his huge arms.

**EPOV**

The irrational twinge of jealousy I felt as I watched them embrace on the jetty flooded my system, forcing venom into my mouth and my fists to clench at my sides. I had heard every word of their conversation for the last ten minutes and I knew it was a purely brother/sister hug but I still wanted to kill him. I couldn't help it.

I turned back to my phone conversation and took my credit card out of my wallet ready to speak the numbers on it. I tried to concentrate on the droning voice on the end of the phone and not on what was happening at the end of the lawn.

"_It's innocent Edward. He loves her like a brother should." _Alice thought as she came to stand next to me at the desk.

"I know he does. Still pisses me off." I laughed.

"She'll like those." She pointed to the brochure that I had left unfolded on the table. "Monday?" She asked and I nodded. "That's sweet."

"I'm going to hate it." I said truthfully.

"Me too, but it's only for two weeks and then you'll have the wedding and honeymoon and then maybe she can come with us to school next term?" She sounded so hopeful and I smiled at her warmly.

"I think she might be able to do that. Hey, listen, while she's busy out there and isn't in my head, can you help me with something sneaky?" I asked and Alice grinned.

"Already on it lover boy." She skipped away giggling and I sighed. Between her and Bella I was never going to have another peaceful day, ever. Thank fuck for that!


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 Jasper's confession

**BPOV**

I could hear Edward's mental voice long before I saw him standing at the foot of the back stairs. He was tense and agitated and he was clenching and unclenching his fists at his side as Emmett and I came walking back from the jetty.

'He's my brother and I love him. He's her brother and he loves her. It's innocent. Comfort. He's my brother and I love him, he's her brother and she loves him, but if he doesn't let her hand go now I'll remove it.'

"Eddie's freaking out Em." I giggled softly, knowing Edward could hear me too.

"Stiff shit, you're my little sister, I'll hold your hand and kiss you if I want, look." He tugged my hand and flung me around so that I was in front of him and then he scooped me up, bridal style and kissed my cheek over and over as he ran with me to where Edward stood. He put me down onto my feet right up against Edward's chest and then sneered, "I found this in the woods, you want it?"

"Yeah, I want it." Edward relaxed a little as his arms closed around my waist and I heard him inhale deeply. "Thanks."

"No problem. I'm off, Rose wants to show me the new machines." He winked at Edward and then he was off, running around the side of the house laughing as he went.

I looked up into Edward's pitch black eyes. "Hey." I sighed against his mouth as he bent to kiss me.

"Hey." He buried his nose in my hair and held me tightly to him and I waited for his shoulders to relax before I spoke.

"You know…" Was as far as I got.

"I know. It's irrational but I can't help it." He began to lay a trail of open-mouthed kisses along my cheek towards my mouth and I felt my legs buckle slightly as the shiver shook through me. "I can't wait to get you alone at the cabin tonight." He growled as his tongue traced the corner of my mouth. "I want you now, right now, and we could go upstairs but …" He trailed off as he licked my bottom lip, "but I'd much rather wait until I can take you slowly in that tub." My breath hitched as he said the word tub and my thoughts flew back to that night. "I'm going to kiss you in a second, you'd like that wouldn't you Isabella?" I loved it when he used my full name against my mouth so I nodded weakly. "And then I'm going to go and pack our things into that extremely hot little number you call Elise." He sucked my skin into his mouth and I panted hard. "You're going to go into the study and speak with Jasper and then you're going to call your parents quickly, do you hear me Isabella? You speak with them quickly." He wound his hand into my hair and pulled me up against him using my hip. I groaned as his hardness pressed into my belly. The hand in my hair tugged it back so that my throat was exposed to his lips. He kissed me from my chin to my collarbone and then back up my neck towards my ear. I desperately just wanted him to kiss me, hard. "Then you are going to get your sweet little ass into that car and drive us to the cabin, fast. Are you ready for me to kiss you Isabella?" I nodded and wound my hand in his hair, trying to pull his lips back to mine. "Are you sure?" He growled against my ear and I whimpered with the mix of pain and pleasure that my need for him bought to my centre.

"Please Edward." I hissed.

He let me go, put his hands on my shoulders and kissed me chastely on the cheek. "Don't fucking call me Eddie." He yelled as he took off into the house, leaving me gasping and gaping on the stairs. 'Fucker!' I giggled.

**EPOV**

Holy crap that was fucking hard! 'That's what she said!' I laughed as I flew up the stairs to pack.

I loved teasing her like that. I knew she wanted me and I wanted her, desperately. But I loathed being called Eddie and they all knew it. Emmett did it to piss me off but Bella had joined in and I'd seen red. Well, not really red, more a sort of pinkish blush. She knew I'd not only be listening but also watching as they came up the yard from the jetty, she knew what she was doing the whole time. Little minx.

I wished, not for the first time, that we were already at the cabin and we were alone. There were so many things to say, so many things I needed to tell her. But I knew she needed to speak with Jasper first. He was the last of my family, no, not my family, our family, that she needed to talk to before they could put all this to rest and get on with living. Existing, whatever it is we did.

I couldn't quite put it away just yet. I not only wanted to take her away for a few days to let her rest but also because there were things we needed to talk about that were unpleasant and I wanted to be alone with her while we went through that, together. I'd begun to feel the first pangs of guilt and shame over what I'd done to Jacob last night as I'd seen her frothing at the mouth to get at me and Rose. For a split second I'd wondered if she was repulsed by me now, knowing as she did what I'd done to him. A tiny pinprick of doubt had crept into my mind when I thought about all that had happened this past week or so. So I knew that she needed to speak with the others before she spoke to me about it. I knew what it felt like to cleanse yourself, to bring to the surface all the things you need others to know in order to move forward in a clear and steady way. I admired her for so many things, but for her ability to set right the things around her before she thought of herself was something I envied her. Even after I'd made a mess of things with Carlisle that night I'd still not ever really felt all that comfortable with him, despite his having forgiven me. I would watch Bella from now on and see how she went about making amends, I'd learn from her.

I could hear the first strains of her conversation with Jasper so I reached for my ipod and put the earphones in, turning the music up as loud as I could tolerate. I would still be able to make out the odd word, and if things got heated – which I doubted it would even though I knew that Jasper was struggling – I'd be able to hear that as plain as day. I would not be spared his mental thoughts though, so I busied myself packing our things ready to leave for the cabin.

Their voices seeped through my earphones into my brain and I just couldn't handle anymore. I went to find Alice and told her I'd be at the cottage for a while. She grimaced as she heard what I did, the first admission of Jasper to Bella, my heart clenched and I ran for the back door before I heard anymore.

**BPOV**

"Hey Jaz, got a minute?" I asked as I opened Carlisle's study door.

"Sure." He looked up from his magazine and closed it. He was sitting on the sofa, not in Carlisle's chair as I'd expected.

I sat on the other end of the sofa and looked at him. He was sort of hunched over, not at all relaxed and I wondered why. "Are you okay?"

"Yep. How are you feeling?" He asked, grinning.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" I giggled, knowing he could feel the waves of lust rolling off me after what Edward just did.

"Nah, it's okay, I think I can work it out." He smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

I wanted to reach across and take his hand in mine but it felt a little awkward so I left mine in my lap. "It's hard for you, isn't it?" I asked quietly.

"Yeah. It doesn't make any sense to me, I like things to make sense." He said, looking at the floor.

"I'm sorry." I said, meaning it. Jasper struggled and I didn't. That's what it came down to for us.

"Don't fucking apologize, jeez." He was going to get angry and I didn't know how to stop that so I just sat still and quietly. "It's nothing personal Bella. I always liked you, I love you like a sister too, but I don't understand you and I can't work out what the fuck I'm doing here and it hurts. I don't deal with pain real well in case you didn't already notice." He grimaced.

"I'm sor…Okay. I don't understand why it's been easy for me either Jaz. Can I call you Jaz?" I asked, I'd never asked before so I figured I should. He nodded and I let myself smile at him a little. "Thanks. I love you like brother too Jaz. But I don't get it either. When I first saw you, at school, I wondered why you always looked in pain, even when you were laughing or talking with Alice you always had this underlying feeling of pain surrounding you. I didn't like it. I wanted to take it away for you. I didn't even know you then but I knew you hurt. Now that I understand what hurts you I still want to take it away for you."

"That's just it though, you've come to this life so easily and I'm still on the outside, knocking on that fucking door trying to be one of the club, you know? You just walked through the door and sat your ass down and here you are. I feel like I'm waiting for my invitation to arrive." He hung his head and I ached for his pain.

"Do you want this?" I swept my hand around the room and his eyes flashed to mine in horror. I was about to clarify what I meant when he put his hand on mine.

"No, I don't." He answered then hung his head.

"You do this for Alice." It wasn't a question and he didn't answer it, I knew the answer already.

"It took me, well a long time, to be able to be anywhere near you. When Edward would leave us and go to be near you somewhere I would relax a little. It was hard to live near him sometimes because he wanted you so badly. Unrequited love is a bitch when you're human, when you're a vampire its agony, no rest for the wicked and all that." He grimaced but I said nothing, and I didn't remove my hand from his. We both jumped slightly as the back door slammed.

'_Don't fucking tell her this shit.' _Edward thought as he ran away.

"Well, that's Edward gone. Shit. I'm sorry Bella, I don't mean to be angry or mean to you. It's not how I feel, honestly, I just don't get it."

"Edward said this is your first time at school because you wanted to get to know me there, is that right?" I asked gingerly.

"Yeah. Alice felt like she already knew you through her visions, you know? Carlisle had treated you and he helped Edward deal with, things, so both he and Esme had a handle on who you were and what you were like. Emmett didn't care, he loved you because Edward did and Rose, well, Rose is Rose. I could only ever feel the love that came from Edward for you, I wanted to feel for myself what you were. So I went to school this year." He shrugged like it was nothing.

I leant over and kissed his cheek, his eyes flew wide open and his mouth gaped. "Thank you for going to school for me." I whispered and he smiled a small smile.

"You're welcome. It helped me in a way. I'd never have bothered to try to be around so many humans if it weren't for you. Now I'm okay with it, mostly. So I should be thanking you."

"I'm sorry this hurts you. But the theory is that I had time to prepare myself for this, because it was a choice for me, you know?" I realized I was apologizing again but he let it go this time.

"I didn't get to choose, so I don't know if that's the difference between us."

"I need to thank you for what you did for my dad that day Jaz." I held my breath, knowing that none of them liked thinking about that day. Hell, I didn't like thinking about it myself.

"It's what I was trained to do Bella. We practiced what to do, over and over. I know Edward doesn't want you to know that. But for years we all, not Edward, practiced what our roles were should it ever happen that way. It wasn't always going to be Charlie I protected when it happened, just whatever human there was at the time, but it was my job that day."

"Oh my god. You all practiced what to do, for me?" My hand flew out of his and covered my mouth in shock.

"Of course we did. Alice always knew it would happen one way or another and just because Edward would fight with anyone who ever mentioned it didn't mean it wasn't going to happen. We had to be prepared to do whatever we could for you."

He said it so matter of factly all I could do was stare. "But…" I couldn't say anything really. They all did this for me and Edward wouldn't? What was that about?

"I need to tell you something but I have to warn you that if Edward is anywhere nearby and hears it he'll come in here and there'll be a fight, so be prepared for that, ok?" He shifted back on the sofa and moved a little further away from me.

"Don't be frightened, please. I would never hurt you, now." He hung his head and I waited for the 'but' in that sentence.

"But." I answered anyway.

"I wanted to, before." He grimaced and we both waited for Edward to arrive. After a few seconds when he didn't Jasper relaxed only fractionally and began again. "Just after the school term started Edward, Alice and Emmett were away hunting. They'd gone to the State forest so Emmett could find a bear. Idiot." He shook his head and I laughed a little. "Carlisle was at the hospital and Rose and Esme had gone to Denali to visit the cousins for a few days. I plead off going to hunt saying I was fine, didn't need to, whatever. Fuck, I can't do this." He yelped and stood up, rubbing his neck with his hand.

I stood too, went to him and put my hand in his. He couldn't hurt me now, so if he needed to tell me this I would hear it. "Just say it Jaz."

"I was planning it. I have no excuse. I just wanted you and that was that. I got halfway to your house when Alice phoned to tell me she saw me and forgave me for wanting to…Bella… I was going to go to your house and kill you myself. I'm so sorry." He wailed, throwing himself to his knees and holding my hand in his.

I was stunned. I would never have known, never have guessed. If not for Alice. No. Jasper wouldn't have done that, he couldn't have. Could he?

"_Say the word and I'll come in love."_ I heard Edward think and I flared my nostrils to see how close he was. He was outside the door. I tugged on Jasper's hand and dragged him with me to the sofa again. I sat him down and then turned to face him, tucking my leg under my knee.

"Jaz it's ok. Really it is. You didn't do it and I don't really care why, you just didn't do it. I must have seen you the next day or whatever, at school, and you seemed no different to me than you always did so I had no idea. It doesn't matter, does it?" I asked.

He looked up from where he was staring at the seam on his jeans and searched my face. "Are you for real?" He whispered. "How can you say that? I planned your death Bella, I plotted to get the family away so I could sneak back and have you. Why don't you hate me?"

"Because you're a vampire Jaz, it's what you do. But, you're also my brother now, and I love you and I'd forgive you almost anything." I shrugged.

"He wants to kick my ass, right?" He nodded towards the door and I nodded. "I can feel him through the wall, man he's mad. You're stronger than him, wanna shield me?" He asked.

"Maybe. I know we'll take some time to understand each other Jaz, but I want to. I do want to know you better. So when we get back, maybe you and I can hang out a bit, yeah?" I asked.

"I'd like that. If Edward lets me live I'd like that Bella." He reached over and hugged me tightly to him and I sighed against his chest. He smelled of cinnamon of all things. My new vampire brother smelled of fresh baked cinnamon cookies…go figure.

**EPOV**

Why do they all want to touch her for fucks sake?

What's wrong with just shaking hands with someone? Do I hug Alice and Rose all the time? Well, yeah, sometimes I do. Fuck. And Esme, does it eat Carlisle when I hug Esme? I'll have to listen next time I do it. If he doesn't chuck a hissy fit in his head I'll consider backing the fuck off, but only if Carlisle is silent.

Come on! Open the fucking door and give her back to me for Christ's sake.

I knew I was being unreasonable, irrational, possessive, an asshole, I knew all that but didn't care. She was mine. Newly mine too, so they should just keep their fucking hands to themselves. I groaned when I heard her say she'd like to hang out with Jasper when we got back from the cabin. Like that was going to fucking happen!

"Hey, I heard that." She yelled from inside Carlisle's study.

"Fuck." I cursed. I did not like this one bit.

Jasper came out the door with a sheepish look on his face and I held my fist out for him. He looked up at me and gave me a half smile. He was thinking about how he deserved the ass kicking I was likely to give him, but I softened when I heard how much he truly loved and wanted Bella's happiness. He fled the second he bumped my fist and Bella giggled.

"You, upstairs." She pointed her finger at my chest and I smirked.

"Yes Miss Swan."

We both flew up the stairs in hit the bed at the same time, falling down beside each other and devouring the others mouth as we fell. She was all hands and soft sighs and although I wanted her, needed her, desperately I peeled her off me and let her lips go.

"You need to call Charlie and your mom love. They'll be waiting." I ran a hand through my hair and tried to steady myself before I swung my legs off the side of the bed and stood looking down at her. She had the most adorable pout on her swollen lips. Kissable lips they were, swollen from my kisses. Oh god.

"Harrumph." She playfully growled when she realized I was serious and was not coming back to the bed. "Fine. I'll call them." She huffed as she too swung her legs over the edge of the bed and went to the desk and flipped open her laptop.

"Is there anything in particular you want to take this weekend? Alice helped me pack you some clothes, your toiletries bag is in already, do you need anything else before I put these in the car?" I nodded towards the two small bags at my feet.

"Um, yeah. A camera, do you have a camera we can take?" She asked.

"Esme does. I'll borrow hers, but remind me when we get home to buy one. Anything else love?" I asked.

"My ipod if you know where it is please." I nodded and she turned back to the computer.

"I'll wait for you downstairs, come on out when you're ready, the car will be packed by then." She nodded and I heard the first strains of Renee's happy voice as I took the bags downstairs.

"Hey Alice, is Bella's ipod still in the dock in your room?" I asked as I came to stand by Alice at the kitchen counter. Her and Esme were leaned over another bridal magazine.

"I think so yeah, I'll get it." She bounced off and Esme smiled up at me.

"How has your day been sweetheart? All packed?" she asked.

"It's been fantastic. Bella saw Charlie out on the highway and went really well. Brief, but well. Then we stopped at his house on the way back and she saw Renee, again very brief but no carnage, so…" I said and she smiled.

"That's so fantastic, I'm so please she's doing so well. Are you two ready to leave then?"

"Can I borrow your camera for the weekend, well not me actually Bella wants to take a camera with us?" Esme said of course and went to the kitchen drawer where she kept it. She handed it over to me with a pack of new batteries and I chuckled. "Finally remembered to buy some huh?" And she shrugged.

"The cars look fast." And I knew she didn't approve. Esme liked understated and classic, not fast and furious.

"They are. I got my first ticket already, look." I held out the crumpled piece of paper and laughed. She looked down at it and shook her head before she laughed and handed it back.

"Charlie won't have much choice but to arrest you one day, what will you do then?"

"I'll get my beautiful wife to drive me everywhere. She's in good with the Chief and besides, she's hot when she's driving fast." I smirked, counting in my head. One. Two. Three.

"I heard that, and we aren't married yet." Bella said from upstairs. I'd heard her close the lid of the laptop a few seconds later and knew that we would soon be on our way.

My cock twitched in my jeans and I silently asked it to please, please behave just long enough for us to get out onto the highway.

**BPOV**

Oh. My. God. I just heard Edward talk to his dick!

There is no way we'll get out onto the highway before his dick misbehaves, I can guarantee it. Now that I know that's what he wants I'm going to torture him.

I looked out across the lawn towards the river and saw the storm clouds as they moved towards the town.

I could hear Alice in her room on the floor below and I called out to her softly. She bounced in through the door just as I was pulling open another box of new clothes.

"Take the red ones with you but wear the black ones now." She trilled as I leaned over the box.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Oh jeez Bella, when will you learn that I see shit before it happens?" she motioned her head towards the door and I wondered what she'd been smoking. "Aargh, I know what your plans are, the ones you just made, in your head, that he can't read?"

"Oh, right. So, the red for later and the black for now then?" I finally got what she meant and stuffed the red panties and bra into a bag and kept the black ones in my hand as I closed that box. I went to the next box and sank down beside it.

"That definitely. You're driving, right?" she asked and I nodded. "And those in that box there. But take the flat ones with you for actually driving. Just wear these as you go downstairs and you'll be right." She grinned and I mouthed thank you as she skipped back out the door.

I pulled the box back so it was up against Edward's closet again and went into the bathroom to change in readiness for the long drive.

**EPOV**

Esme was showing me something in the bridal magazine as Alice skipped back down to join us. She put Bella's ipod in my hand and joined Esme at the counter again. She was grinning evilly so I knew they had been cooking something up up there. She poked her tongue out at me to confirm my suspicions and idly pointed to the opposite page that Esme was looking at, they both crinkled their noses up at what I though was a fairly pretty dress. It was a bit too fussy for my Bella, but it wasn't horrible. I thought it was all right anyway.

I heard the door to our room shut and I was suddenly pleading with my dick to just sit still for a few minutes longer as it twitched in anticipation of three hours alone in that car with Bella.

"Ok ladies, I'll see you Sunday night. We've both got our phones if you need us." I patted my jeans pocket and my cock jerked again and I cursed it. Fucking thing was trying to ruin me!

"See you Sunday." Alice said dully. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her nudge Esme's elbow and they both stood up from the counter and watched as Bella came into the kitchen.

Oh. Fuck. Me.

Her hair was all tousled like she'd just gotten out of bed. She had five-inch high black stilettos on with the shortest most indecent micro mini skirt I'd ever seen. It was obviously leather and it matched the cropped jacket she wore, almost wore. It was zipped up to where her bra joined in the centre between her breasts, it wasn't that she was obviously was half naked it was that her breasts were pushed up and her cleavage spilled over the lace tops of her bra and I could see an acre of pale flesh at her throat.

"Oh. Fuck. Me" I said before I realized it had come out my mouth and not stayed in my brain.

"Language Edward." Esme scoffed.

Dangling from Bella's fingers in her left hand was a pair of flat shoes and in her other hand were her car keys. "Shall we?" she drawled before she licked her bottom lip. "I'm all set."

"Ookaay." I couldn't make my mouth form the word properly and I shook my head. "See-you-Sunday-got-phone-gotta-go-bye." And I had her hand in mine dragging her out the front door as Alice Esme and Bella laughed.

I stood her at the driver's side door to the Lotus and waited while she unlocked the doors and got in. I ran at a blur to the passenger side and she was off out the drive before I had shut the door fully. I couldn't take my eyes off her. She was fucking gorgeous. Stunning. And so, so hot. She slipped the stilettos off as she stopped at the end of the driveway and tossed them over her shoulder until they landed with a thud on the floor behind me. She slipped one of the flat shoes on each of her feet and turned to face me slightly in her seat. She patted my cheek fondly, licked her bottom lip again and drawled, "Did you bring your equipment baby, or has it ruined you already?" Her evil laugh echoed around the tiny cab of the Lotus as she gunned the engine and spun the wheels out onto the tarmac.

I hated being read. Sort of. If it meant she dressed and behaved like this I sort of liked it. A little. Maybe 10% I liked it.

"Who are you?" I said, taking a leaf out of her book.

"I'm the new Bella, you're the new Edward, and this is my new Elise." She grinned as she swept the car up the on ramp and floored it as the first dual carriage lanes opened up before her.

**BPOV**

If he references his dick in his mind once more I'm pulling this fucking car over and jumping him.

The look on his face as I came into the kitchen was worth feeling like an idiot in this skirt and these shoes, worth every second of it. I was, however, far from done with him. He was going to pay for his little game on the back stairs this afternoon. Pay dearly.

He hadn't taken his eyes off me since we'd gotten in the car and now he was shifting uneasily in his seat obviously trying to get comfortable with the erection he was sporting in his jeans. He was looking at my legs now, my skirt rode up every time I put my foot on the brake or shifted it back to the gas pedal. Thank god I'd shaved them last night! He was thinking about how long my legs looked under this skirt and how hot my stilettos had been.

We were only an hour or so into the journey and I would have to stop for gas before we got to the forest entrance but I wanted to go as far as possible, on the trip that is, before I had to stop. I knew once we stopped the spell would be broken. So I had to use my time wisely.

The sun was setting now so the cab of the tiny car was starting to dim slightly. Perfect. I slid a little lower into the seat and let my skirt ride all the way up so that if he just leant forward a tiny bit he'd be able to see the tiny wisp of black lace that was supposed to be underwear. It bloody wasn't, it was a Band-Aid made of black lace and cost more than a full tank of gas! However…it came with the matching bra that I was now sporting, alone, underneath this very small leather jacket that Alice insisted I buy.

Come on Edward, just lean forward a little. Make an excuse, you can do it.

Yes! Score! He leaned over to check the speed I was traveling at and I saw him run his tongue over his bottom lip when he let his eyes settle on my crotch.

"You like it baby?" I whispered as he jerked his head back into the headrest behind him.

"Like what?" He was nearly drooling.

"Going this fast of course, I saw you lean over to see how fast we were going, don't you like to go fast?" I pouted.

"Mmm hmmm." He murmured.

I kept my eyes on the road for a little bit but made sure I had to shift down a gear here and there and use the brake a little every few miles so he got a good view of my inner thighs as the night settled around us.

By the time the needle on the gas tank hit a quarter of a tank I knew we'd have to pull in at the next stop so I made my move.

I slid my finger into the little pull-tab on the zip of my jacket and slowly slid it down until it undid and the two sides fell open.

"_Oh dear god I'm going to cum in my pants." _I gasped as I heard him think it and then I turned to him and smiled.

"It's a bit warm tonight, don't you think?" And then I smiled again, sweetly, before turning my attention back to the road ahead.

**EPOV**

Mother fucker! She was pulling into the gas station and I was sporting some serious wood! There was no way she'd be able to get out and pump gas herself, not only was she half naked and I wouldn't allow it, but she was a three day old vampire with some serious human blood issues.

I couldn't get out of the car yet either. I thought about slapping it to make it go away but she'd notice and I'd be mortified. I could try thinking about dead puppies or something but all I could think about was the scent of her in this tiny car and the swell of her breasts under that obscene jacket.

She pulled into a parking bay at the side of the gas station and turned the ignition off. Thank god I wouldn't have to get out just yet. Hopefully we'd sit here for a few minutes, I could make small talk until I absolutely had to get out. Yeah, good plan.

Wrong. Again.

"Edward I can't go pump gas, my throat burns baby. I'll switch places with you and you can do it, okay?" She smiled sweetly at me and I nodded vaguely. I could pump the gas in two minutes, but not before. God.

And then she was hitching that fucking dirty, dirty skirt up her thighs so high I saw another glimpse of the black lace I'd seen earlier when I was trying so hard not to look at her crotch. Before I knew what was happening she was straddling my thighs and her scent flooded my nose and tongue and I groaned, loudly. My thumbs instantly pressed into her hips and pulled her down on my aching cock. She gasped and looked shocked as she tugged at my shirt. I wasn't averse to pulling it off over my head but I wondered for half a second why she had chosen here, at a gas station, to have her way with me. We were only an hour away from the cabin?

And then she was slapping my cheek shouting.

"Edward. Edward, come back to me." She was shouting. Why was she shouting?

"What?" I growled in frustration.

"I said, slip out from under me and get in the drivers seat dummy, you can't drive from over here." She was giggling now.

"Oh, right, sure." I pulled my legs out from under her and she settled hers onto the seat so I could pull my torso out from underneath her and I slid across the handbrake and into the drivers seat. I had zoned out for a second I was sure. So lost in the scent and sight of her straddled across me. Jesus Edward, wake up and smell the roses sunshine. She has no idea what she'd doing to you, you just think everything is dirty at the moment. 'Pervert' I thought as I hit the start button and pulled the car up beside a bowser.

"I'll be right back. Are you okay?" I asked, thinking about what she'd said about her burning before.

"Yeah, there's hardly anyone about and if the door stays shut I'll be okay." She smiled at me.

I swear I heard her giggle as I shut the door and began the pump.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 Another New Beginning

**BPOV**

We drove in relative silence into the forest. I held my breath for five minutes before we arrived at the ranger station and for another five minutes after we left it, just in case. Edward paid the entry fee and collected the keys and took off up the trail towards the cabin. The air inside the car was still tangy with the scent of human blood even after the time lapse when I finally took my first breath.

I knew there were going to be humans in the forest this weekend, there were humans here every weekend. I was one of them not so long ago myself. I knew that, so I was prepared to feel the burn for pretty much the whole time we were here.

What I wasn't prepared for was the rush of emotion I felt when the cabin first came into view as Edward drove us toward it.

We'd approached from the same direction as we'd come from on the bikes and I knew when to look for the tiny little house before it came into full view between the trees. I let out a small sigh as I took in the sight of it, it was exactly the same of course, it had only been a few short weeks since we were here last, but to me it felt a little like coming home. We'd managed to overcome so many details here, it was here that I'd asked him to bite me and he'd freaked out. Admittedly I had used those very words, I'd been stupid enough to ask a vampire – albeit a gorgeous one that had his tongue in my mouth at the time – to bite me. Of course he'd fled and freaked out and it had taken both his brothers to sort him out sufficiently before he could even return to the cabin and me that night. Aah, that night. A warm feeling settled in the pit of my stomach as I thought about that particular night. I still counted it in my top five nights of all time, so far that is, I had no doubt that our wedding night would bump something off the top of the list at some point. But for now our night here in this cabin rates in the top five for sure.

Edward seemed to be rather quiet, even mentally, as we approached the cabin and I wondered what had made him so serious all of a sudden. "What are you thinking?" I asked, a small smile coming to my lips when I thought about how many times he'd asked me that this year already. He hated not being able to read me and I was fairly sure that he wasn't too fond of me being able to read him as yet either.

"I'm thinking about the last time we were here. How you asked me to bite you and I freaked out." He grimaced but then grinned as he pulled the Lotus into the small space at the front of the cabin.

"Me too. It was a bit of a rough start but the weekend ended pretty well, I thought." I giggled a little and noticed Edward shift in his seat before letting his seatbelt release.

"Yes Bella, it did end well." He smirked and I could tell he was thinking exactly what I was. "Shall we go inside?" He asked, nodding his head towards the door.

"Let's, it takes ages for that tub to fill." I giggled as he gasped. He walked around the front of my car and came to offer his hand to me as I got out.

He pulled me to his chest and I groaned as I came up against him. He was hard and he was shaking slightly and he was just so Edward. All needy and desperate and I knew I'd give in the second we were inside. I needed him too, constantly. I kissed the corner of his mouth and took his hand. He had the keys to the cabin in his other hand and he swung the door open wide. Then he bent down and scooped me up into his arms, bridal style and walked over the threshold with me as his mouth claimed mine.

He walked us to the bed and put me down on the edge, his lips still moving along mine. He sighed and untangled himself from me. "I'll grab out bags, you fill that tub."  
He growled into my ear as he stalked back out the door. Oh my.

**EPOV**

Holy mother of god she was driving me insane. I was desperate for her. My balls were aching and my cock was rock hard. It was becoming painful, I'd been fully erect for four hours now, the whole fucking car trip if truth were told and I was at the end of my very short rope. That jacket was so fucking enticing and the skirt was positively criminal.

I slammed the boot lid of the car a little too hard and heard Bella groan. "Sorry love," I mumbled as I took our bags back into the little room.

I could hear the water running into the tub and held my breath. Jesus, this was agonizing. Was it too early to have her? Would she think I'd bought her out here just to fuck her? Christ, since when did I fuck Bella? We made love and sometimes it got a little rambunctious, but I never fucked her.

"Maybe you should." She whispered in the bathroom and my nuts clenched. _Jesus H Fucking Christ on a Cross._

"If you keep wearing skirts like that I might consider it." I snarled. I didn't mean it to sound aggressive, it was just a natural reaction but Bella sprinted out of the bathroom and stood in the doorway with wide eyes. "Sorry."

"Don't be, that was hot." She came towards me and put her hands on my chest, leaned forward and rapped her fingertips against me so that I would bend down slightly. She exhaled into my ear and I shivered, "I'm not put off by the animal in you Edward, he should come out to play sometime." She kissed me soundly on the lips, stepped away and went back towards the bathroom.

I steadied myself briefly and then busied myself getting our things organized. I put both our bags onto the bed and took out our respective toiletries bags. I laid them side-by-side and had a bit of a silent chuckle to myself. They were a metaphor for Bella and me really. Hers was small, dainty and covered in little lilac flowers. Mine was larger, it had to hold my electric razor, and was made of a scratchy dark green material. Bella _was_ tiny and soft and feminine and I was bigger, rougher. Get a grip Edward, jeez, she'll think you've gone a bit left handed if you start thinking that shit.

Bella coughed lightly behind me and I startled. "Can I ask you a question Edward?" She purred coming towards me and sitting squarely on the end of the bed. That fucking skirt would do me in, I knew it.

"Sure." I tried to keep my eyes up to her face but I knew she noticed when I let them fall to her thighs. God. They were such a creamy white, I knew they were soft. I wanted to run my lips up them, from knee to…

"What's wrong with being left handed? I'm a leftie." She purred again, crossing one leg over the over and giving me the tiniest, briefest look at her lace panties as she did.

"Um, what?" I had heard the question but, what?

"I asked," She licked her bottom lip and pushed her chest out towards me, I twitched again, "why you were worried about me thinking you were a bit left handed? I like your left hand." She reached over and took my left hand in hers and placed it firmly on the swell of her breast, above the line of the jacket and above the wisp of black lace that was her bra. "See? Your left hand likes me too." She bent and kissed my arm as my palm burned from the touch of her flesh.

"It loves you." I said stupidly. What the hell was wrong with me? I couldn't form a thought let alone get a sentence out that made sense.

Being able to be read sucked. Sort of. But if it meant she touched me like this and looked at me like that I sort of liked it. A bit. Maybe 17% ish.

**BPOV**

Seventeen percent was an improvement on the ten percent he had thought about at the house before we left. At this rate it might take a few days before he was convinced that me being able to read him was worth it, but he'd come around. I'd make sure that he came to appreciate it. I knew he liked that I could hear what he wanted from me when we were intimate and that he was shy and nervous about voicing what he liked, I was the same, so I hoped that now I could read him better we'd be able to be more comfortable with each other from now on.

I knew I was torturing him. I had been doing it all afternoon, on purpose. I knew he was hurting, physically from his need. I was sorry about that, but it would be worth it. I intended tonight to be special. If I could manage it I'd make it amazing, for us both. But I'd settle for amazing for him.

"I'm going to go check on the water level in the tub Edward. Would you like a fire tonight?" I nodded towards the fireplace and he seemed to snap out of his dazed state. He took his hand off my collarbone and went over to the fireplace as I went into the bathroom. The water had only been running for a short time but already it was a third of the way up the tub. I squirted a generous amount of bubbles from the little bottle into the water and swished it around with my hand. The water was hot, very hot, just the way we both liked it. I dried my hands and went to light the tiny candles around the tub surround. I giggled at the usual bottle of champagne and the glasses. We'd never need alcohol to get happy, that's for sure.

When the candles were lit I turned the overhead lights off and smiled as the room took on its warm glow.

I could now smell the familiar scent of wood ash and soot as Edward lit the fire. It crackled and echoed around the very small and quiet cabin. I loved it here, alone, at last. For some reason it felt like another first, another new beginning for us. We'd had our first meeting and all that had gone on when he'd told me what he was and that had sparked a fresh start from the following morning. Then our next first had been the night we'd made love. That had been the greatest night of my entire human life. But it just kept throwing up firsts for us, the night after I'd woken from my change had also felt like the first time. In a way it was. I was a totally new being. Everything had changed for us that day in the driveway. When I finally woke up I felt differently and looked differently but the way I loved him had shifted too. Edward had always been the centre of my very limited universe, right from the day I'd met him really. But after my change he seemed to grow within it, he was all consuming. So tonight, this weekend, felt like another first for us. I knew we had a lot to talk about, we'd not even mentioned what had happened with the wolves yet, but I felt like this was what needed to happen so that we could go forward properly. The true beginning to our partnership, the eternal partnership. I knew our wedding would be the same, or similar too. It would mark the beginning of a deep commitment that went even further than the simple fact that we'd both survive into eternity. We'd survive into eternity together.

I went back into the main room and sat on the sofa and watched Edward stoke the fire. Neither of us would be cold, of course, but a crackling fire was romantic and it too made the cabin glow warmly. "Would you like some music my love?" Edward asked and I nodded. For some reason I was again nervous. All these new beginnings made my belly jump in anticipation.

Edward went to the tiny kitchen table and grabbed my ipod. I thought he would get his but it was mine he took. He went to the bed and sat scrolling through my playlists. He found what he was looking for and plugged it into the dock that doubled as the alarm clock on the bedside table.

Soon the soothing tones of the piano filled our small space. I closed my eyes as I tried to isolate where I knew this tune.

"Oh!" I let slip before I had a chance to keep it in. "That's my lullaby!" I cried happily.

"Hmm mm, I put it on there when you were um, during your change." He said as he went into the bathroom. I soon heard the water come to a final dribble and then he came and lowered himself onto the floor and sat between my knees, his back up against the edge of the sofa. He folded his legs under him and I put both my hands into his hair. He groaned loudly as I began to stroke him as I had in the shower that first time he'd let me wash his hair. I pushed a little harder against his scalp and soon he was swaying gently with each pass of my hands. I leaned forward and put a little more pressure on my fingers and wound his hair through them, gently tugging on it as I pulled his head back into my lap further. He sighed and panted as I tugged and I realized his mental thoughts were completely silent. He was so relaxed, he had his eyes closed and his mouth was slightly open. He was so very, very beautiful. I began to stroke along his temples loving the smoothness of his skin. I used my thumbs and ran them down his face and across his jaw pulling his head right back till it was completely under my own. His tongue snaked out and he licked his bottom lip and I just had to feel it. So I ran my thumb across his bottom lip too, hoping he'd lick it as I passed. I dipped my finger slightly inside his open mouth and felt his lips close around it. I sighed in pleasure as he ran his tongue over the tip of my finger.

"_This will be your clit between my lips soon Bella." _When he thought it my mouth fell open and I turned into a Cullen goldfish.

**EPOV**

I felt her thighs tighten around my head and I smirked. Oh Bella! Her aroused scent flooded my mouth and throat as I sucked on her finger and thought my wicked, wicked thoughts. I had hoped she'd be listening and I had been right, she was. I knew it the instant I finished my thought because I felt, smelt and heard her arousal. I clamped down on her finger tightly and ran my tongue around its tip once more. 'I want to make you cum Bella. I want you to scream my name so loud the windows rattle. I want you to feint from the pleasure I can give you,' I very blatantly and pointedly said this in my mind and waited for her reaction.

She didn't disappoint. Another wave of her pungent scent flattened against my face – upturned as it was between her thighs, tilted backwards to receive her fantastic scalp massage – and I heard her suck in a massive intake of air. She began to squeeze her thighs tighter to my head and I knew what she wanted.

"I'd like to take a bath now Isabella, I'll be in the bathroom when you're ready." I stood and she whimpered at the loss of contact as I went into the bathroom.

I leaned against the now closed door and took another deep breath. Holy shit this was so hot. The anticipation was killing me, I ached all over with need, desperate for release. I hoped she felt the same. It had now been over 24 hours since we'd been together, really together, in any intimate way other than lying in the long grass this morning listening to the ocean and I was so close to losing my mind with the need to just be near her that I'd gladly forgo having her if she'd just lie next to me and let me hold her. Ok, maybe not quite. I'd still try to molest her.

I threw my clothes off and tried not to rip them to shreds in my haste. I relit one of the candles that had gone out and then gathered an armful of the thick white towels that sat on a little shelf under the basin. I put them on the surround of the bath and climbed in. The water was hot, really hot and I sucked in an involuntary breath as I lowered my aching body into it fully. The water was two thirds of the way up the sides so when I sat down fully it came to just under my armpits and it felt fucking divine.

My hard on was agony, of course, the fucking double-crossing bastard not having given me a moment's peace all day long.

I could hear Bella in the room moving around. I heard the zip on her overnight bag and then the shuffle of her scant few cosmetics in her toiletries bag. She'd come in soon and I'd be able to touch her, love her, thank god.

I lay back on the headrest and closed my eyes. I started counting, slowly, from one and by the time I had gotten to one hundred and eighteen I heard the turning of the bathroom door. I stayed still, left my head against the rest and kept my eyes closed. For some reason this felt as nerve wracking as it had the first time. I wondered for the thousandth time what she was thinking, if she was nervous like this too? Did this feel like the first time for her too? It shouldn't feel different but it did. We were both different now. We'd done this after her change of course, but being here, in this cabin, in this tub, it felt new. I couldn't quite place why it did, but it did. Maybe because we were truly alone for the first time since she'd been changed? Maybe because I knew what we had to discuss this weekend? Maybe because once we'd talked through everything I counted that as the true beginning to eternity with Bella.

She was naked already. I could smell her. Her arousal was potent and not clouded at all by the scent of any fibres or fabrics. I could smell her strawberry shampoo and she had something else with her, in her hand. I soon realized what it was when I heard her click her ipod into the little docking station that was the alarm clock. I heard her click the little dial and soon my own piano playing echoed around the little bathroom. I had put an entire playlist onto the ipod as she'd burned, hoping the strains of the piano, and my emotions as I played, would soothe her. It hadn't, of course, but I'd had to try. Now the room was filled with my notes, notes I'd played and recorded for her, to bring her comfort. Now they only made me need to feel her close to me more than normal.

I groaned as she slid one leg over the side of the tub quite near to my face, I could taste her sweetness on my tongue as I swiped it across my bottom lip. She lowered herself into the tub with a gentle sigh, the water splashing up against my chest as she settled into the opposite end of the tub from me.

"The water is so warm." She murmured as she came to sit between my legs. I felt her hands on my thighs and I sucked in a breath. "You feel so good Edward." She crooned as she came to sit in between my knees, her back to my chest. I folded my arms around her middle and ran my fingers across the smooth plains of her belly.

She leant back fully and her breathing was even but shallow. She was just as excited as I was but neither of us was in a hurry now that we were touching. I always felt better when I was touching her. She instantly soothed me, all my worries disappeared as I held her against me.

I was ready for our next new beginning.

"I'm ready for that too Edward." she murmured, covering my hands with hers and squeezing them gently.

Ok, so being read blew chunks. But if she could read that I loved her with my entire being maybe it wasn't quite so bad. Maybe, if she could hear in my brain how much she meant to me it would creep up to being nearly 29%, ish. Maybe.

**BPOV**

Twenty-nine was progress.

Now that I was here in his arms I felt all my worries slip away. We have each other forever. No matter how ugly tonights, or tomorrows, discussions get we'd have each other to either work it out or have some fantastic make up sex.

I took a moment to let the warm water soothe me and I closed my eyes as Edward circled my stomach with his fingertips. I could feel his hardness pressed into my back and I knew he wanted me badly, just like I wanted him.

With every circuit he made around my navel I grew hotter and hotter. I was squirming underneath him and as I swiveled my hips he pushed his up into my back. The delicious friction I gave him was obviously not enough because he cupped my hips in his hands and pushed me away and upward until I was perched on the surround of the bath, my back against the tiled wall, my legs up to the knee in the hot water. I gasped as his eyes met mine, they were pitch black and hooded. His mouth was open and he was panting.

I ran my hands through his still dry hair and tugged him up until he was sat on his knees in the bath and between my open knees. I put my hands on his cheeks and ran my thumb over his mouth again. His tongue flicked out and licked it as it passed and I sucked in a deep breath. He was glorious. He was mine.

I pulled his mouth to mine using the palms of my hands on his cheeks and I sighed into his open mouth as his lips suckled on mine. I crossed my ankles around his back and held him to me. I kept my eyes closed and used my other senses to drink him in. His scent was warmer in here because he had been submerged in the hot water and I knew now what he'd meant in the shower that first time with me. His scent was powerful like this, in a small room, and it was even stronger than the scent of the soap and bubbles around me. I listened intently to the sounds he was making with his voice box and his body. As he rocked against me gently up against the tub I could hear the sloshing of the water as it lapped around his legs. I could hear the steady purring noise he made in the back of his throat as he lost himself in the kiss. I heard my own moan too, a low throaty rumbling noise.

I tasted his tongue as it swept across mine in my mouth and tasted his venom. Sweet and salty on my palate. It was a flavour that was distinctly Edward. I had never tasted anyone else's venom of course, and I never wanted to either, but I associated this taste with Edward. Like his scent it was what made me able to pick him out from a mile away. He may have imprinted on me all those years ago but his scent was imprinted on my brain now too.

I ran my hands over his back and shoulders and memorized the feel of his skin under my fingers. He had broad shoulders and a slim waist and he was one hundred percent banded muscle. I swept my hands down to the middle of his back again and felt him arch towards me as my palms found his ass.

He pulled his lips from mine and trailed wet kisses across my jaw and up to my temple. He put his hands into my hair held me steady while he dipped his tongue into my ear and growled lightly. I shivered from head to toe and sunk into his chest closer.

"I love you Bella." He whispered into my ear and then he took my lobe between his teeth and bit down, causing me to shudder.

"I love you too Edward." I managed to squeeze out of my mouth. I wanted him so badly my mind couldn't form a coherent thought.

Edward took his hands out of my hair and began to run them up and down from my waist to under my breasts. His hands were slick with water still and as he slid them along my skin I groaned into his shoulder. As his thumbs grazed the soft skin under each breast I pushed forward into his hands. He was trailing kisses up and down my neck as I panted against his skin.

As his fingertips found my nipples I hissed, loving the sensation as he tightened his thumb and forefinger over each peaked bud. He slowly rolled them back and forth and I felt the desire swell within me. I tightened my thighs around his hips and he groaned into my ear softly.

He let my right nipple go and slid his hand back to my waist and then around my back, pulling me tighter to him as his other hand cupped my whole left breast. He ran his fingers over my tattoo and then he lowered his head and took my nipple into his mouth and sucked, hard, his teeth biting down as he took as much of me into his mouth as he could.

"Christ." I barked. I hadn't meant to be so loud but he'd never been so, so rough before. Rough was wrong, strong was wrong too, he was always strong. This was, what was it? It was forceful. He intended to take from me what he wanted and I loved it!

He let my nipple go with a resounding thwack. _"Look at your tattoo." _He told me in his head and I bowed mine to see the onyx black raised lettering where his fingers had just been. He bought his eyes up and stared at me for a few seconds, the smug grin on his face was radiant, like he'd won some amazing challenge. '_Do you want me Isabella?' _He asked, looking into my eyes as he grinned again. He was cocky, self assured and Oh. So. Fucking. Hot.

"Yes." I answered breathlessly watching his mouth.

'_Tell me what you want, tell me if you want it soft and tender or…'_ he bent his head to my nipple again and took it into his mouth and sucked. His other hand came up to the back of my neck and he wrenched my head back using my hair and I cried out as his lips left my nipple and he bit his way up my exposed throat to my ear, taking the lobe back between his teeth and closing his jaw as I hissed at the pleasure. '_Or do you want me like this?' _He was asking me as he bit me again. He let his fingers trail down my belly and as he moved his torso back from me he slid two fingers into my pulsing core without warning. I arched my back and screamed his name as I clenched down on his beautiful fingers.

"Like this." I whimpered against his shoulder as I felt the first waves of my release hitting my stomach.

'_Like this! Holy fucking white man! Definitely 33%, it was definitely closer to 33% now. If she cums on my fingers in the next minute I'll make it an even 40%' _he thought.

"Count, I'll cum for you Edward." I screamed as I climaxed on his trembling fingers.

**EPOV**

F-u-c-k. She was cumming on my fingers and it had taken two short strokes and less than three seconds from the time I'd thought it till I felt the first tightening of her muscles. Did I mention fuck?

My balls were aching as she came in floods on my hand. I had to use every ounce of my willpower not to just take her as she threw her head back and panted through her release. She wanted me to be in control! She wanted me to _take_ her. She was giving me permission to fuck her.

As the rhythmic clenching and unclenching of her inner muscles subsided I withdrew my fingers as she hissed her displeasure. I raised my fingers to my lips and licked her essence off them, making sure she saw every sweep of my tongue. She closed her eyes briefly and I felt her attempt to close her thighs to gain some friction as I moaned my pleasure at her taste. 'I want to taste you Bella' I thought, waiting for her reaction.

Her eyes flew open and she looked to my mouth instantly. I could tell she was confused, she thought she'd already watched me tasting her, she was wrong.

I used her hips as leverage and pushed myself back into the tub as I moved backward she closed her knees. I licked my bottom lip and put a hand on each of her knees and splayed them open. I ran my tongue up her thigh from knee to hip and bit down on the soft flesh at the joint where her leg met her groin. She threw her head back and moaned loudly. She put her hands on my shoulders and dug her nails into my skin. I put a hand on either side of her hips and used my tongue to run a line from her navel, through her matted curls to her clit. I lowered my thumbs and used them to part her lips and then I ran my tongue from bottom to top along her sweet folds. The same blessed taste assaulted my tongue and lips that I'd just tasted from my fingers and I felt my cock jerk as her taste flooded my mouth. She was writhing and moaning loudly as I licked and sucked at her juices as they flowed across my tongue.

She ground her hips towards my waiting mouth as I took her clit between my teeth and stroked it carefully. I let my ice-cold venom fall from my teeth and slide down her lips before I licked her clean and delved my tongue into her hot, wet centre.

I had no fear of hurting her now so I nipped and suckled at her lips, each in turn, until she was crying out in pleasure.

'Is this what you want?' I asked mentally.

"Oh god yes…more…yes…" She growled as I slid my tongue into her again and again.

I used my thumbs again to pull her lips apart and I sucked hard at her swollen clit. 'Like this Bella? You want me to suck you hard like this?' I asked again.

"Yes…hard like that…it's so good…teeth, give me teeth…" she moaned, tugging on my hair as I let my teeth graze her clit again. "Oh fuck yes…that's it…" she cried as I rocked against her, sucking and releasing her as I moved forward and back on my knees.

'Can you cum like this Bella?' I wondered as I slid a single finger into her slickness. 'Do you need more than this?' I begged as she bucked her hips up to meet my tongue and finger.

"More…Oh god…so good…I can't…you'll make me…oh …can I…" I had no idea if she was asking permission to cum or whether she just wanted something else so I slid a second finger inside her and she clenched down so tightly onto me that I thought I'd guessed right. "Aaah…yes…cum…I'm going to…yes…oh" and I felt her climax again. Her clit pulsed and swelled inside my mouth and her hot, tight little body squeezed my fingers as it raced through her body. She dug her nails into my scalp and cried out my name…she screamed out _my_ name as she orgasmed in my mouth and on my hand. This gorgeous, beautiful exquisite creature called for me as her bliss enveloped her.

I'd made her cum because she could hear my thoughts. I'd asked what she needed and she'd told me, because she could read me. If that wasn't worthy of 50% nothing was. I still hated the idea, but only half as much as before. Possibly 50%. Maybe.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16 Thank You's

**BPOV**

Two violent orgasms in ten minutes = Bella jelly legs.

Fifty percent was fan-fucking-tastic. Being able to read him was unbelievable for me, but reading him while he licked and sucked me had blown my mind. Being able to have a conversation – albeit a one sided conversation – without him needing to stop was incredible. It increased my pleasure ten fold and made me come with an intensity I didn't know I possessed within myself.

I was now slumped back against the tiled wall again, my head flopping down onto my chest and my hands resting lazily on the tiled bath surround. My chest was heaving from the exertion of the orgasms but I had a smile a mile wide across my lips as Edward licked his fingers clean, again. I felt a tingle of excitement all across my belly when he did that. That he wanted my taste in his mouth turned me on so, so much. I reached a hand out to him and cupped the back of his neck and pulled him to me. I licked his bottom lip then slid my tongue deep into his mouth, lapping at my own taste. "Mmm," I murmured as I licked my own saltiness from him.

"Christ that is so fucking hot Bella." He groaned as I sat back against the wall again.

"You like that baby?" I crooned.

"I fucking love it."

He swept me off the shelf and dragged me back under the now cooling water with him. He plunged his tongue into my mouth as we settled on the floor of the tub once again, this time with me straddling his lap. His cock was so hard against me as I pushed myself up and into his belly. I slid back and forth along its length loving the feel of it against my aching clit. I wanted to make him feel like I did, satiated and blissfully happy. I wanted to use my body to make his body feel the buzz I had going on.

The harder I pressed my sex onto his cock the louder he moaned in my mouth. His hands were digging into my hips as he pushed and pulled me along him. I was dying to feel him inside me but I wanted to please him too.

"I want to taste you now, baby." I whispered into the corner of his mouth as I kissed my way to his ear. He shivered when my tongue lapped at his lobe.

"Oh god Bella." He growled as I ground my hips into his cock and bit down on his lobe at the same time. 'Please Bella' was what he thought though.

"You'll have to shift Edward, up onto the ledge." I asked, tugging at his arm. He groggily moved and sat onto the ledge and I wedged myself between his knees as he'd done to me earlier. I was nowhere near tall enough to be able to kiss his lips while I was on my knees so I satisfied myself with kissing his marble smooth chest and stomach. I traced my tongue over the curve of his hip and kissed my way back across to his belly button. I dipped my tongue into it and swirled, he tensed and I giggled slightly. I put my hands on his hipbones and pushed him backward so that he was as far back towards the wall as possible. I looked up his body and saw he had his head tilted back onto the tiles and his eyes were closed, his mouth slightly open.

"Tell me what you want Edward." I said as I trailed kisses up his thighs.

'_Harder, I need your touch to be harder.' _He thought.

I dug my fingers into his hipbones and pressed my mouth to his flesh harder, eliciting my prize, a deep rumbling moan from his beautiful mouth. I hissed as I kissed my way back to his stomach. I swiped my lips across him from hip to hip and dug my nails into his upper thighs as I sucked his skin into my mouth and sucked harder. "Again," I said, begging him to tell me again what he wanted.

'_Tongue, put your tongue on me.' _He pled.

"Here?" I teased, running my tongue along his hipbone.

'_No.'_ He thought.

"Here?" I asked again, lapping the juncture of his thigh and groin.

He sucked in a breath but said 'no' in his mind.

"Here?" I breathed on the head of his cock as I ran my tongue so very softly around his head.

'_God yes.'_ Came to me as his mind swirled with the sensation of me taking him into my mouth. I felt his entire body stiffen as I lowered my mouth to take as much of him as I could. I closed my eyes and tried not to gag as his head hit the pressure point at the back of my throat, before I made my upward retreat. I ran my tongue around the head again before plummeting back down his length once again. He was fisting his hands into the pile of towels he sat next to and I knew he was in a transient state somewhere between control and climax.

I released him from my lips and replaced the friction with my hand while I asked him again to tell me what he liked, what he wanted from me. I took him back into my mouth but kept my hand at his base and stroked him in direct opposition to the movement of my mouth. My fingers pulled his flesh back towards his balls as my mouth traveled to his head, as my mouth swallowed him I moved my hand up to meet my lips.

'_Oh fuck…that's so…oh fuck…I can't last…slow down…' _His thoughts trailed off as he moaned and grunted his pleasure.

I slowed the pace of both my mouth and hand and settled into a nice easy rhythm. I knew now that he liked it when I pressed his flesh harder so I used my free hand to knead the skin on his thigh as I bobbed my head in a staccato movement, my fingers gripping him tightly between each stroke. His breathing hitched once and then he gripped the back of my neck and held my head steady.

'_Stop…please…I don't…I'll cum…need to be in you…please…' _I knew he was at his limit when I heard him plead with me silently. I put my free hand onto his at the back of my neck and squeezed his fingers to let him know I'd heard and understood what he'd thought. He released my neck and I let his length go from between my lips and fingers. He pulled me up, his hands underneath my arms, and pulled me half into his lap. He brushed his lips to mine and then delved his tongue deep into my mouth, tasting himself there as I had on him earlier. I felt my core tingle as he groaned in pleasure. '_Your mouth…bliss…let me have you now…please…Bella…please…'_

I pulled my mouth from his and slipped out of his lap and back into the tub. He slipped below the water and took his position against the end of the tub and let his head fall back onto the rest there. "Come here Bella." His voice was gravelly and harsh and filled with need.

I slid across the bottom of the bath and straddled his hips. With his hands on my hips he paused me, hovering over his cock. I leaned over and took his earlobe into my mouth and then I hissed, "Take me Edward."

**EPOV**

Explosive, that's what this is going to be. I dug my fingers into her hips and pulled her down onto my cock. I was so hard I thought it might hurt when I finally got inside her, but as her warm pussy slid down my length I hissed out my pleasure against her throat.

"Je-s-us Bella." I cried as she took all of me inside her. We lay still for a moment, her getting used to my, size me regaining some control over the building orgasm inside me. She leaned forward and I reached out my tongue to taste the rosy nipple in front of my mouth, as I bit down on it she began moving slightly upwards and forwards on me. I used my hands to guide her movements, faster now, then a little slower as I tried to bite back my orgasm. "So beautiful" I mouthed against her throat as she rode me. I wasn't going to last, I knew that, so I did my best to give her as much pleasure as possible. If only we could've been in the bed by now, I'd not thought of that this afternoon in my eagerness to have her in this tub. This should've been round two, I could've explored her better, dragged this out longer if we'd been in the bed.

"You can…later…bed…" She whimpered as she threw her head back and used her knees to slam herself down onto me under the water. "Need…oh god…need…" she cried out and I tried desperately to work out what it was she needed.

I could feel myself beginning to come undone but I really, really needed to know, so I asked. 'What Bella, what do you need?' I thought as I felt the familiar tightening in my nuts as her muscles clamped down on me again and again.

"Touch me…" She cried as she dug her nails into my shoulders, bracing herself on me and grinding her hips into me at each downward stroke. Oh! She needed pressure on her clit, that I can do baby, that I can do. I slid down the tub further and half laid down underneath her. She put her hands on the edge of the tub this time and hovered over me as she ground her hips into my pubic bone, the delicious whimper she let forth as my pubis came in contact with her clit undid me. I shuddered once and screamed my release. I held her tightly with my palms and felt her quiver and tense up in my arms as she threw herself forward and her climax shredded what was left of her control. "Edward. Edward. Edward. Edward." She screamed in a feral snarl as her orgasm ripped through us both. Me pulsating myself deep inside her, her clenching around me as it poured out of me.

'Oh yeah baby, my beautiful, beautiful Bella. Oh yeah. Gorgeous.' I thought as I spilled myself into her again and again.

I shifted back up so I was sitting against the back of the tub and gathered her into my arms as the last of her release coursed through her. She collapsed onto me, panting heavily. "I love you so much." She whispered against my throat.

"I love you too, so very, very much." I kissed her temple and ran my hands over her back lazily.

"That's got to be worth 65 percent? Surely?" she huffed against my ear as she bit it.

"Yeah. At least." I chuckled. Possibly even 70-ish. Maybe.

We lay curled up on the bed with the crackling of the fire as our surround sound. Bella was tucked into the crook of my arm, her warm back to my bare chest. She'd dressed in some pale pink panties and a matching tiny, positively indecent crop top. I had plain black boxers on that were not helping me to behave myself in a gentlemanly manner. I was running my fingers through her hair as she rested quietly in my arms. Every now and then I leaned over and kissed her exposed shoulder and she would hum appreciatively.

"Edward" she whispered.

"Yes love" I replied, kissing her shoulder.

"Do you really hate it?" She asked and I grinned.

"At first yes. Not so much now." I answered.

"I can't hear you all the time yet. I hope I will though."

"Mmm" was all I said in reply. It was definitely something I enjoyed when we were intimate, being able to voice what I liked, wanted, needed and she'd hear me. I felt a little sad that I couldn't read her at least like that anyway.

"Don't be sad," she mumbled. A few minutes later she was making those soft snuffling noises I loved so much and I tucked the blankets in around her. She wasn't cold but it was so habitual for me to want her comfortable that I tucked them in anyway. "Will you put my lullaby on please?" She asked and my heart melted all over again.

"Of course." I complied. I turned over slightly and reached for her ipod, found the composition I wanted and slid it back into the little docking station. She sighed when the first bars of it floated out of the tiny speakers.

"I love that, what you made for me." She was so very tired now. She'd never sleep again but she did need this rest desperately. Our venom was still fighting with what was left of her human blood and it sapped her energy as the two halves of her fought for ascendancy. Her voice was rough and sounded just as it had when she had been human and fighting to stay awake to be with me at night.

**BPOV**

I felt my energy coming back to me as I lay there in his arms. He was nuzzling my neck and stroking my hair, humming a quiet tune as he waited for me to come back to him. I was running over a few things I desperately wanted to talk to him about in my mind and knew that I'd rested for long enough. I needed to talk with him, really talk with him, regardless of whether or not he wanted to talk about these things.

"Edward?" I whispered as he kissed my on my neck, below my ear.

"Mmm hmm." He murmured in answer.

"Will you talk with me for a while?" I didn't want to upset him and I really didn't want to fight, but I had to know this stuff.

"Mmm" he moaned against my ear. He was the master at distraction, I knew that first hand, but this was important. I untangled myself from his arms and rolled over, facing him. I put my head under his chin and waited until his arms closed around me again before I continued.

"We need to talk about some things Edward. I know you know that." I tried to keep my voice calm and reassuring.

"I know. Really, I do know that. There are so many things I want to tell you about, talk to you about, but it's hard, so hard to do this part Bella. I don't want to upset you or hurt you and its…" I felt him grimace against my hair as his whole body tightened up with the pain of his thoughts. Thoughts that were guarded and shielded from me for the minute.

"I feel the same. I don't want you to be upset or to hurt you with these things either. Maybe we can strike a little deal?" I hoped he'd go along with this, for both our sakes.

"I can't promise anything, but I'll listen." He said softly.

"What's the first rule of fight club Edward?" I asked, grinning.

"We never talk about fight club" he chuckled.

"Right, so how about we say all we need to say about these things and it stays here? At the cabin. If we ever feel the need to go over anything, or things get too much and we can't avoid an argument or whatever, we come here, to the cabin. What do you think?"

"I think I could live with that Bella. But, there is one problem with your very clever plan Miss Swan." I could hear the laughter in his voice and I tried really hard not to pick his brain for the answer.

"And that would be what?"

"I might pick fights with you simply so you'll come here with me." He was chuckling and a low rumbling sound came from his throat and vibrated through him into me and I shivered. God he was sexy.

"I'd follow you anywhere you wanted to go Edward, always." I sighed against his chest.

"Mmm, I love you so much Bella." He crooned against my hair again.

"As I do you, love." I stole his favourite phrase. "Do we have a deal then?" I asked.

"Yes. We do. So what is it you'd like to talk about at Fight Club Bella?" He chuckled, belying his anxiety over the type of discussion we were going to have. I could already hear the indecision and apprehension about it in his mental voice so I was careful to remain calm and start slow.

"Please don't hide your feelings from me Edward. We're in this together, I want to be real with you, and I won't hide anything from you."

"I'll try, but it's in my nature to try to keep from you things I think will hurt you Bella. It's my job to protect you." As he said it I heard the break in his voice.

"I know you think that Edward, but I need this too. I need to talk to you about these things, I have things I need to get out of my head."

"Ask me what you need to know Bella." He said it in a resigned voice, giving in to my demands.

"Tell me about Jacob Black." I could feel the resounding 'NO' building in his mind and throat and prepared myself for his roar.

**EPOV**

NO! She couldn't want me to tell her about this. NO! I couldn't do it. She'd know how revolting I was, how base my animal instinct was, how unable to control myself I really am. She'd hate me.

"Please Edward, I need to know what happened. The others don't say, they skirt around it, just saying what they thought or did that day. You've never mentioned it and I've not asked. But I'm asking you now, please?" She didn't sound upset or hurt but I was. I didn't want to do this. Why couldn't she just know that I took care of the 'problem' and that was the end of it?

"I can't Bella." I growled, probably a little too harshly.

"You can. I know you can. I don't mean to upset you and I don't want to press you either. How about I ask some questions and you just answer them yes or no?" She was persisting and I knew that she was entitled to know, it had happened to her too, but I didn't know if I could explain my role in Jacob's demise properly.

"Okay, I can do that, but if…when I get…shit, okay. I can do that. Ask Bella, just ask." I tried so hard to keep anger and fear out of my voice as I said it.

She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me closer to her and kissed me on the neck and I felt and heard her inhale deeply. "Did you kill Jacob that day Edward?" She asked and I cringed.

"Yes." It was all I could say anyway. I had killed him.

"Was he speaking to you in his head that day?"

"Yes."

"When he, after he… once I'd fallen was he going to kill Seth too?" My heart clenched for her. She couldn't even put voice to what he'd done to her, how could she ever reconcile what I'd done to him if she couldn't do that at least?

"Yes."

"And then you and whoever else wanted a turn to fight too?"

"Yes."

"My dad?" She asked quietly.

"Yes." I kissed the top of her head as she gasped. "Because he would've seen and heard Jacob tell his pack to annihilate us, he was prepared to…yes, your dad too."

"I see." Her voice was so close to a sob I prepared myself for the anguish that would come pouring out of her any second. I braced myself as she steeled herself to speak again. "Thank you Edward. For ending him, for me."

**That** I was not prepared for. How can she thank me? How can that be? Why doesn't she see the monster I am? I killed a human – okay he was a shape shifter, but he was human too – in the driveway, in cold blood, and she's thanking me?

"Yes, I'm thanking you. You promised me, way back at the start, that you'd always protect me. And that's what you did on Sunday Edward, you protected me. And my dad, and Seth, and your family and the pack as well. So you can castigate yourself all you want in your mind, but I can hear you in there, I can hear all your self loathing and I don't like it, at all." She sounded so preposterously fierce I half chuckled.

"Bella, while I am pleased that you can see that I was protecting you that day I don't want you to ever, and I mean this seriously, don't ever thank me for what I did. I'm not proud of it and I never will be. At the time it was very satisfying, ending him to protect you, but now it is what it is. Shameful." I lowered my voice and rested my chin on her head.

We were both quiet for a few minutes. I hoped she understood that even though I'd not do anything differently if the same situation presented itself I still wasn't proud of what I'd done.

"I know Edward. I know you aren't proud of it. Can I tell you what I think, please?"

"Of course."

"I don't think Jacob ever really cared about me. I don't think he wanted me. He just didn't want you to have me. What do you think?"

She'd shocked me, again. Jasper had told me about Jacob's power game and I'd heard something similar from him as he'd taunted me too. "You're right. You were going to be his prize." I whispered.

"I thought as much. When he was holding me out to you, for you to see me, at the end there…I sort of felt sorry for him. You were all surrounding him and his pack was obviously not going to help him – Christ they're big aren't they? – And I could feel him shaking as he held me out there." She paused and I cursed him again. How had that bastard managed to illicit her sympathy? I could feel my rage building inside me, again. "No Edward, don't curse him, he's gone. I know you wont agree, but you shouldn't curse him now. he was Billy's son, a brother and a friend to the pack. But he was scared Edward. Really scared, that day. Even when he was standing by me at the car he was shaking really hard and when you first spoke he startled and his bottom lip quivered. He was terrified of you. Did you hear that from him, his fear?" She asked and I thought back over that day.

I heard Jacob curse me and my kind over and over in his thoughts but I couldn't trace a hint of fear in anything he said. I ran over where he ordered his pack to take me down and there was no stutter or hesitation in his voice. He was utterly focused on my downfall, as I was on his. I recalled thinking how huge he was and that that small detail would not waver me in the slightest, I'd kill him anyway and I'd more than likely enjoy doing it. I recalled taunting him, calling him son, and watching his huge jaws snap and snarl as his anger coursed through his huge frame. I remembered him circling me, throwing his head back and howling to his pack to prepare to fight. I recalled telling him that I was completely prepared to die for Isabella, that he'd taken her from me and I had nothing left to live for. I remembered my all consuming anger as he'd let the word slut fall from his lips and how that one word had bought my venom forward onto my tongue and lips, how I'd had to spit some of it out to rid myself of a slight gagging sensation as it flooded my mouth.

There had been no fear in Jacob Black that day. If there was he did not put thought to it. But, there was one small moment when he'd been shocked. When he'd roared his frustration into the air and I'd matched his roar with one of my own he'd been shocked at my strength then, he'd wondered mentally if he'd taken on more than he'd reckoned with. Did that constitute fear? I wasn't sure. He wasn't afraid of me enough to back down, to surrender and ask me to stop. I wouldn't have anyway, but he'd not faltered one step or sound the entire time we'd fought.

I shuddered when I remembered welcoming my first pangs of bloodlust. I'd toyed with him a little in the end. I'd knocked and thrown him, landed on him to cause pain instead of ending his suffering like the dog he was. I could recall with perfect clarity the sound, like tinkling broken glass – or one of those wind chimes that people had hanging from their front porches – as I crushed his chest. Hmmm. Even then he'd been mentally silent. Huh. Bella thought he had been scared, to me he just seemed determined to win. I allowed myself one last recollection before I answered Bella's question…I savored, hopefully for the last time ever, the sight, sound, taste and smell of Jacob Black dying at my hand.

"He wasn't scared Bella, he was determined. That's all."

I had been so lost in my memories of that day, trying to recall any trace of fear in Jacob that I'd not noticed the change in Bella. She was sobbing into my chest, her tiny frame wracked with pain. "Oh Bella, love. What is it? Darling, please. Tell me." I cried into her hair, pulling her to me and hugging her tightly. She shook her head over and over but said nothing. She was shaking now, trembling all over as she cried out. And then I realised. Bella can read me! Oh no. She'd just been through that whole day with me, in my mind. Oh god, what had I done?

**BPOV**

"I'm so sorry…so…I'm so…how…so sorry." I couldn't get my words out, couldn't make him understand. It was too heart wrenching. It hurt so much. Edward, my Edward had had to suffer through all that, for me. "I don't know how…oh Edward." I just sobbed and sobbed against his chest as he stroked my hair and kissed my head over and over.

"Shhh love, he can't hurt you anymore." Edward said softly.

"I know he can't." I did my best to steady myself, he'd obviously misunderstood me, and my stupid brain wouldn't let the words form a coherent sentence. I lifted myself from his arms and sat back against the headboard. Edward was about to shift so that he could cradle me in his arms but I shook my head, no. "No Edward, lay your head in my lap please." I knew what it was like to have conversations like this with someone able to look into your eyes, it just made it harder to say the things you needed to say. I waited for him to lie across my legs and put his head in my lap. My hands went instantly into his hair and I began to stroke it, pulling it back off his smooth forehead with my fingertips. Soon he was purring softly, calm and serene once more.

"I'm going to try and explain my reaction Edward. I don't want you to say anything, okay?" He nodded and murmured ok into my lap as he continued to purr. "You've probably guessed that I relived that with you just now, so I saw what you saw, what you did, what was said and what you heard from Jacob. I'm not scared Edward, I'm not repulsed, I'm not disgusted. I'm grateful. So, so grateful that you did that for me. And for us, the family, the wolves, Seth and for my dad. Thank you. You'll never be able to comprehend how grateful I am to you for ending it for me." I leant over and kissed the top of his head softly. "Of course I'd much rather that he had just asked for my choice and left us alone but we both know he had no intention of ever leaving us alone. I've wondered over the past few days if I'd be able to do the same for you, had our roles been reversed. I'd like to think that I couldn't, that I didn't have it in me, but I suspect that I do. Not then, human, but I think I could now."

"You'll never have to." He whispered into my belly.

"I hope not." I stroked his hair and ran a finger lightly over his temple and down his jaw. He purred again and I felt it through my legs and into my stomach. He was breathing very steadily now, calmed completely. "Can you tell me what was spoken about with Sam?"

"Hmm mmm. He's the new Alpha, but we knew that even before…Paul, the big brown wolf, he's the new Beta. Carlisle is going to meet with the tribunal of elders in a few weeks to sign a sort of treaty between our two 'tribes' for want of a better word." He spoke rather lazily like he was close to sleep. "I'm not too sure of the exact terms, but it will be fairly simple. We wont bother them, they wont bother us." I keep running my fingers through his hair as he spoke, I watched his beautiful pink lips move and I sighed contentedly. I was going to be able to be with him, like this, forever. "They'd like us to keep our distance of course, but with the exception of Seth I don't think we'll be seeing too much of any of them. Maybe at our wedding though, they seemed keen to attend and wish us both well." His lips curled up into an adorable smirk when he said the word wedding and I smiled too.

"Seth, we'll see some more of Seth then?" I'd like that, I felt an affinity for him now. He'd put himself in between Jacob and I in the kitchen then he'd been brave enough to get me to move and collect the tin and he'd held my hand the whole time. He hadn't trembled or faltered in his step once and he'd reassured me and said he'd protect me the whole way. Even as he'd stood at the side of the Volvo, when Jacob already had my throat in his giant hand, Seth had never stopped talking to me, not once. He told me over and over to be brave, to sit still and just do as Jacob said and that everything would be okay. He told me how happy he was that he got to help me, that he was proud of me for being so brave and that he'd do whatever he could for me as we worked through this, together. He had to be terrified the whole time but he never faltered. When my dad called him away from the car I'd had to whisper to him to go, he didn't want to leave me.

"Yes, he's promised to come and see us now and then. He feels very protective of you. He will be a formidable protector once his transformation is complete." Edward grinned. He was thinking about Seth's thoughts as I stood before him as a vampire the first time, at the foot of the stairs. Oh my god, Edward was jealous!

"You have nothing to worry about Edward." I kissed him on his hair again and he gave a tiny chuckle deep in his throat.

"I know, but I can't help it. It's the same with Emmett and Jaz, I hate that they touch you. Can't help it, sorry." He grinned again and I knew he was being truthful, it did bother him that they touched me, even minor touches when they passed me something.

"They are my brothers now Edward, well they will be once we're married. You have nothing to fear there either." I giggled. His mental thoughts were getting decidedly chaotic as he flipped through image after image of his brothers touching me at various points over the past few months. Even I hadn't realized just how many times they'd come into contact with my skin, but Edward had an elegantly, chronologically ordered catalogue of each and every 'misdemeanor' as he called them in his mind. I sighed heavily. "Silly boy, you'll eat yourself alive if you keep running over things like that in your brain." I swooped down and covered his face with tiny kisses. He laughed, soundly and reached up to pull my face down to his. His tongue snaked out and swiped across my lips as they met his. A white hot flash of desire swept through me as the kiss deepened.

When I withdrew my lips I sighed again and told him that he was the only person I wanted to touch me and that all the other inconsequential touches from his family were forgotten before they had begun, but that every touch of his hands was branded onto my brain never to be forgotten. He seemed to calm again at that.

I decided to keep asking my questions while he was so relaxed here in my arms. I traced a finger across his lips past the apple of his cheek and down over his jaw line again. I made this blissful trek three times and then I asked the question I knew he'd hate the most. "Edward, tell me about being your singer."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17 La Tua Cantante

EPOV

"That's all behind us now." I whispered against her belly.

"I realize that, but I'd like to understand it. Emmett mentioned it to me yesterday and I'd like to understand it from you, I want to understand you better Edward." She whispered it into my hair and I felt her lovely plump lips form a kiss on my head as I sighed.

"You have no idea the relief I feel now, now that you're changed, that I never have to feel that…that burn…" I trailed off, lost in thoughts of hours spent fighting the need for her blood over the past twelve or so years. No matter the distance between us it never once lessened. Not once. Even as she lay crumpled in my driveway I wanted it. Craved it. Needed it. A shudder passed through my whole body and she clasped me to her tighter.

"The burn I feel now, the ordinary burn we feel near other humans…" She began but I shook my head violently and she stopped the thought before it could be fulfilled.

"No Bella, its not like the ordinary burn you are feeling. Your singer could still be out there somewhere and I hope to god, or whomever the hell it is that is pulling these strings that bind us to this earth, that you never meet them." I shuddered again at the thought of Bella being in that kind of agony, without relief, for so long.

"How did you…resist it then?" I could tell she was reading me as she asked because I was thinking exactly that, how had I resisted for so long?

"Because I loved you far more than I craved your blood."

"It's that simple for you?" She asked, wonder in her voice.

"Yes." Of course I had had the doubly damning pleasure to imprint on Bella as well, but it really was just that simple. I loved her enough to resist. "Like the others I'd never known anyone who'd ever met their singer before so I couldn't be sure, at first, whether it was just the imprinting process that drew me to you so succinctly or whether you were my singer. But the scent of your blood…aaah…your blood." I shook my head again and she groaned as she absorbed my recollections of the scent. "Sorry love. I know you'll be hurting soon, shall we hunt?" I asked.

"Not yet. A little longer, please?" She pursed her lips and furrowed her brow and I reached up and stroked her cheek with my thumb.

"You're so brave, so beautiful. I love you so much." I used my hand to pull her neck down so that I could kiss her and felt her sigh contentedly against my mouth as I suckled her lower lip.

She pulled her lips away from mine and I could see the next question forming on her lips. "So my blood smelled different to everyone else's, for you? Was there something wrong with me do you think?" Again with the adorable pout. Aah, I wanted her again.

"Nothing wrong with you Bella, never. But as my singer, _la tua cantante, _in its original Italian, your blood calls to me. Not only me, but specifically for me. The others always thought you smelled…well…delicious…but me, I craved you." I thought about a way to describe it to her, how to make her see how special she really was to me. "For the first few years I thought Carlisle was wrong. There was no way I could crave you the way I did merely as your imprinter. I didn't think it was possible to feel the way I did at first. It wasn't just a craving it was a deep-seated need. At first I couldn't be away from you for more than half a day, I'd begin to feel ill, physical pain being away from your scent. Despite the way I felt about you because of the imprint – the need to protect you, keep you safe and the love I had for you wholly – I began to feel like a drug addict. As soon as I'd leave you I'd feel the need to be near you again, like an addict planning their next hit before the first had worn off. I was unbearable to be near for the others. Jasper tried to help but even his talent couldn't help me control the pain I felt when I couldn't be near you and the fear I felt when I had to leave." I was aware that I was rambling, that my speech was driving onwards faster and faster but now that I'd begun I found it hard to stop. It felt strangely liberating to be able to explain this to her now. And while I hoped with my entire being that she never, ever came across her singer I was glad that she might understand a little more about how it was for me while she was young.

"I once thought of you as a drug Edward." she giggled. "Even before I knew what you were I was drawn to you, needed to be near you. That day in detention, when we sat so close to each other for the first time, I craved you too. Did you know that I spent the better part of a week tearing my house apart to work out what we owned that smelled like you? I wanted to find it so I could buy more and put it in my room, in my clothes drawer, so I'd be able to smell you all the time." She giggled again and I felt myself twitch once more. Damn!

"Hmmm. So even as a human scent was a prominent driving force for you Bella?"

"Yeah, but not just any smell, yours. I came to need it in the end. I had a sort of panic attack once, when Alice said she was going shopping to buy me things to take away on the weekend when we came here the first time. I nearly choked when I realized I'd be without my robe." Her facial expression changed then, from fun and jovial to apprehensive and pensive.

"I leaned up against that robe for years, every night. Did it smell like me Bella?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Mmm. It did. So good. When you bought it back from Charlie's for me the other day, after my change, I was so grateful to have it with me. It's become a sort of security blanket if you will."

"Smells are such a powerful thing to us. Do I still smell the same to you?" I asked.

"Stronger but yes. I know I don't smell the same to you though, do I?"

"Not the same, no. Yours is an evolving scent for me. When you were little it was a childish scent. You smelled of jubes and whatever it was you'd been in contact with during that day. But as you grew older, went through puberty, it changed again. As a young woman you were intoxicating to me, like my own personal brand of heroin." I hoped that analogy wouldn't offend her.

She leaned down and kissed me at the corner of my lips and then smiled, "I'm not offended, you are my own personal brand of everything Edward." She traced her fingers down my face and pulled my mouth to hers.

Mmm, 75? 74 at least, being read was at least 74% okay. Maybe.

**BPOV**

I had to hunt and soon. The burning in my throat had made itself known between leaving the tub and now but had intensified as Edward had relived his exchanges on Sunday – his vivid recollections were complete with scent markers, I hadn't been prepared for that – and now when we were discussing just how much my blood had called to him. Each time he'd said the word blood my throat had tightened a tiny bit. Now I needed to hunt. I was a little embarrassed to admit it though. I knew he thought I was doing really well but I had moments when I could hardly contain the pain. Often I could distract myself from it, especially if I was waiting for Edward to come home or to join me, but many times I'd just wanted to run off and hunt on my own.

I supposed now was as good a time as any to bring it up, seeing as he'd already mentioned it anyway.

I leant over and kissed him once more on his glorious lips and then sighed, "How would you feel about a little midnight jaunt?" I tried to make light of it but the understanding in his eyes made me ache. I grimaced as he shifted in my lap, I knew he knew. Out of habit I let my hand cup my throat and I swallowed back the involuntary release of venom in my mouth as I thought of the first suck of the warm, sticky fluid I'd get from a large carnivore here.

"Of course." He said, swinging his feet over the edge of the bed and pulling on his jeans. "You don't need to be embarrassed to tell me you need to hunt Isabella. It's part of who you are now, you've nothing to be worried about." He was tugging on a jersey now and I lay on my side to watch him do it.

"Are you aware that when you slip back into Edward 1.0 that you use my full name?" I giggled, sliding my own feet down the edge of the bed and into my shoes. I grabbed a jersey and some jeans and was pulling them on when I heard his laughter ring out around the room.

"Edward 1.0?" He asked through his laughs.

"Yeah, if the new Edward is version 2.0 then the old one was 1.0 logically. But you didn't answer my question there Captain Distraction."

"You certainly have a comprehensive collection of nicknames for me, to what do I owe the pleasure? And no, I wasn't aware that when I was the 'old' Edward I used your full name. I shall endeavor to cease if you so wish." He swept his hands across his mid section and bowed low. I giggled, he was so wordy and old fashioned sometimes. It was pretty hot.

"You don't have any nicknames for me, do you?" I asked.

"I call you Isabella or Bella, sometimes baby, but no, no others that I'm aware of." He chuckled as he held the door to the cabin open for me. I went out into the night air and waited for him to lock the door behind him. He slipped the key into his jeans pocket and held out a hand for me. I took it and we ran off heading due north.

"I like it when you call me baby." I said as we jumped across a small stream and into the bracken at the edge of the forest that lined the water. "I like it best when you call me Isabella in your head though."

"Do you? Hmm, I'll try to remember that when I know you are listening particularly intently." He tugged my hand and pulled me to his chest, crushing my lips with his. His tongue slipped between mine and I tried to concentrate on the sound of his mental voice and not the sound of the bobcat to my right.

**EPOV**

'You're thirsty Isabella' I said mentally, knowing she was trying to listen but also knowing she could smell the bobcat and was torn between her thirst and me. 'Go, I'll catch you up in a little bit.'

She grunted into my mouth, pulled her lips from mine and was gone in half a second.

I watched the blur as she flew through the thick tree cover and as she slipped into her hunting stance I felt my stomach clench with desire. It was true, for all of us that our lusts were heightened during and after the hunt and it was no different for me. I still wasn't comfortable being too close to her as she hunted but I had seen Jasper and Alice share the hunt once before and I cringed as I recalled how they'd made love after that, I shuddered to think of my brother and sister that way, but I also wondered if Bella and I would ever be able to be that trusting with each other?

I wasn't thirsty so I walked slowly in the direction that Bella had run off to and took up a position down wind of where she now lay under the fast ebbing life of the bobcat. I took to the treetops and swung across two high branches until I could look down on her as she fed. She was half under the animal, again, this seemed to be her preferred method I'd noticed. She liked to cradle the beast in her arms as she drained it. I personally would rather remain detached from it as much as possible. I loathed having to do it at all so the idea of being intimately connected to the carcass repulsed me. But looking down at Bella she looked decidedly serene, sensual almost as her perfect lips curved gracefully along the jugular.

All too soon the animal was empty and she threw it off her lap and stood to wipe her hands on the grass. She scanned the area and heard the pair of lynx a little further north I'd heard earlier myself and she took off through the trees in their direction, obviously still thirsty.

I understood that, too. Carnivores were so much more satisfying, I knew she'd gorge herself on them while she had this chance.

I ran at a more leisurely pace and came to a little clearing and again took to the treetops to watch her as she bought the smaller of the two lynx to the ground and into her lap.

The low, satisfied purr she released in the back of her throat as she pierced its fur made me gasp. It was the same purr she made as she took me into her mouth just tonight in the tub. Oh god. You're disgusting Edward, thinking about that in the same terms as this sight before you!

Again she stood and wiped her hands across her mouth then her hands across the grass. She looked exactly to where I was in the tree and ran to the base of it.

She scrambled up it and came to sit on the same branch as me, swinging her legs like Alice always did. Must be a girl thing.

"I don't know where to start. God you think some shit in your head Edward" she laughed.

"What?" Was all I could ask.

"Well, for one, I'm nowhere near ready for you to share the hunt with me. Knowing you were in a tree nearby is sometimes too much for me, but that's getting easier everyday, so maybe one day we can share." She patted my thigh but continued on. "Second, you aren't disgusting for thinking that about the noises I make. You growl at your prey right before you take it and you growl at me all the time and I often shiver at that thought, so if you're disgusting so am I!" She crowed, throwing her head back and laughing heartily.

"I guess we are both disgusting then." I leaned over and kissed her neck. She arched her back and sighed deeply as my teeth nibbled at her warm flesh.

"I guess we are. Now, for the third point in your little mental observation list just now. Did you really find it repulsive that I held the animal like that?" Her voice had grown quiet by the time she'd gotten the entire sentence out and I knew I had upset her. There was no way I was ever going to get used to censoring my thoughts around her. Gah, this was so hard.

"Edward! I don't want you to ever have to censor anything you think, god no…please don't ever think or say that again. I need you to promise me you wont do that?" Her eyes were wide and I knew I'd made it worse.

"I'll try Bella. I can't promise, but I'll try. Are you sure you want to discuss this? You may not like what you hear." I warned.

"I'm sure. Edward you've had more than a hundred years to learn all this, I've had a few short months and in five weeks I'm going to be a wife, not just any wife, the wife of a vampire. One I've come to realize I know very little about. That's a little frightening for me. And before you freak out I'm not frightened of marrying you, at all, that part can't come quick enough. If I had my way we'd be married already, but I want my parents to be able to be there, so we'll wait. What's frightening for me is that in the past few days I've learned that I was your singer, that the family have practiced drills in case I ever died in front of them, I've learnt to read your mind, Jasper tried to kill me once and now I learn that you find my method of hunting repulsive. Kinda things we should talk about before we take the plunge don't you think?"

She was getting angry now and when she put it all into perspective like that I could see why. She was one hundred percent right. I _had _had a hundred years to learn this stuff, I kept forgetting this was so new for her. She had transitioned so incredibly fast I failed to remind myself that she'd only been a vampire for near on three days now. "I know you heard all that but I'll say it out loud so we're on the same page. You're right. There are things we need to discuss. Important things. You shouldn't marry me without knowing them all, I shouldn't marry you without knowing how you feel about certain things. You're right, as usual." I hung my head and put my hand in her lap, palm up, wanting her to put hers in mine. She did and I twisted her engagement ring between my fingers. I loved it there, against her perfect pale skin. It never failed to excite me when I saw it, felt it, that she'd chosen me. But she was right. "Lets go back to the cabin and get comfortable Bella." I nodded in the direction of the little home away from home and she made to jump off the branch with me.

As we hit the ground she reached up on her tiptoes and kissed me at the corner of my mouth.

"A very wise man once told me 'a tiny sting now and then a lifetime of love', I promise." She tugged my hand and I sighed.

"Indeed."

**BPOV**

My heart had nearly died a third time when he'd said he shouldn't marry me just now. If he'd faltered at saying the last of that sentence I'd have fallen out of the tree and wished for death right there. But he was right, we shouldn't get married without discussing everything we possibly could first.

We ran silently back to the cabin and I waited, quite patiently even for me, as Edward unlocked and opened the door for us. I skipped to the bed and slipped off my shoes I threw off my jeans and jersey but kept my underwear on. He seemed to like the little crop top earlier.

Edward stoked the fire and then did the same, leaving his jeans and jersey on the floor beside the bed. He slid in under the covers and took me into his arms, lying half across my stomach.

He was thinking about how much he loved me, how eager he was to be my husband, how much he wanted to be able to tell me everything and have nothing between us but future. I was eager for that too, the idea of full disclosure first and foremost in my mind as we kissed tenderly for a few moments.

"I don't find you repulsive when you hunt Bella. I find the hunt repulsive." He started. "I try to distance myself from the act and you seem to embrace it. I don't understand that at all." He stated matter of factly.

I mulled it over for a few seconds before I answered. "It was the price I was willing to pay to have you."

"I thought it might be something like that." He swept his hair away from his eyes and settled himself across my belly again, facing away from me this time. I ran my hands through his hair again though, it seemed to calm him. "Do you not feel any shame at what we have to do for sustenance then?" He asked and I thought about it again carefully before I answered.

"Not really no. I wasn't a vegetarian as a human and I'm not now. I eat animals Edward. It's what I need. I don't feel any shame for it, I'm sorry that you do."

"I think shame might have been the wrong word. I'm sorry I have to snuff out the lives of anything in order to survive. I'm glad I can resist humans as I do but I'd much rather not have to take from animals either. So not shame, regret maybe."

"Then we are similar. I'd rather not have to either, so I'm sure I'll learn to regret it too." I put a light kiss onto his hair and he began purring again. "I don't think you could say or do anything that I'd find repulsive Edward." I hoped he could hear the sincerity in my voice as I said it.

"I'm sure you could. If I put voice to some of the things I've done in my time you'd change your mind. How could you not?" He sounded sad now.

"I'm sure you have but I don't care about that. Since I've known you you've been nothing other than utterly perfect. So you have a shocking temper, your hair wont do as it's told and you cannot – or will not – control your lust for me, but apart from that I see nothing repulsive or disgusting." I grinned.

"Perfect huh?" He nuzzled my belly with his nose and I sighed. "I've done some horrible, horrible things Bella. I've even done some horrible things to you and you know it. What you saw publicly, before you really knew us, was a carefully crafted air of civilized culture that Carlisle insists we maintain in the public domain. So that's what we look like to humans, cultured and civilized, but even you must agree that it's not always that way for us. You've seen it now first hand. We are violent and aggressive, possessive and malicious creatures who crave blood. How can that not be disgusting?"

"I don't feel disgusting." I said in a very small voice. It was the truth. "I know I need blood but to me it feels no different to a diabetic who needs insulin. How is what we need any different to a human who needs vitamins and minerals and meat and things to survive?" It was a flimsy reasoning but it was the best I could do at short notice.

"You have to see the difference Bella? If there was no difference we'd be able to move amongst the humans and they wouldn't fear us." He said solemnly. I was beginning to see a glimpse of the depth of Edward's self-loathing and I didn't like it.

"I wasn't frightened of you." I whispered.

"You should have been." He sighed heavily and I knew he had always wanted me to be afraid of him. If for no other reason than it would've been safer for me and I'd never have had to endure the change. "Your father isn't scared of us much either, your mother a little more, but far less than either of them should be."

"Do you think they'll cope?" I asked.

"Yes, I think they will. Renee has found a unique way of justifying it in her own mind, I'm sure she'll tell you about that one day. Your dad is just happiest when he's thinking about you being here at all, not in what capacity or form. I wanted to tell you how happy it made me that you found a way to help them by the way. You once again succeeded where I failed." He chuckled and I felt proud of myself for pleasing him.

"I think they're playing house." I sniggered. I had wondered if Edward had heard anything from either of them that would confirm that for me, but I hadn't wanted to ask, it seemed a bit of an odd thing to want to know.

"I think you're right." He laughed then. I joined him. Charlie and Renee playing house. It was a very, very strange concept.

"As a child I wished for it every night you know? Before I went to bed, god, you probably heard it so many times from me yourself right?" I asked.

"A few, yes. I always thought it was a futile wish. I heard the way they spoke to each other the few times they met to drop you off and collect you and I never, ever thought I'd ever see the day where they would live in the same house and play nicely." He chuckled again and I tried to picture them being nice to each other. I had no memories of it ever happening so I had no point of reference.

"Do you think Phil will take my mother back if she decides she wants to go home to him?" I still wasn't sure what to make of Phil. Of course I understood his reluctance to accept what had happened that day, but that he'd left my mother made me angry.

"No, I don't think he'll want to be with her again. I don't want you to think that's your fault either Bella. Whilst your mother wanting to stay here to help you through this was his deciding factor I think there were problems before they arrived here. I can't be sure of course, but their arguing in the few hours they were in our guest room left me with little doubt that all was not well in paradise long before this happened." He told me softly.

"What does a girl do when she gets absolutely everything she's ever thought to wish for?" I asked.

"She says thank you." He chuckled.

"Thank you Edward." I said pulling him to me.

**EPOV**

We were so very different and yet the same. We had completely polar opposite views on this lifestyle to which we found ourselves bound and yet that didn't seem like it was going to be a problem for us like it could sometimes be for Alice and Jasper. Huh. I should probably say thank you to whichever or whatever deity had given me everything I wanted too.

"Jasper told me everyone practiced, but not you." She made it into a statement not a question and I really didn't want to respond. So I didn't. I just shook my head slowly. That was the end of it, I wouldn't discuss this. Not now, not ever.

"Next" I said quietly.

"No" she whispered in return. "Not next. This. The night you pulled your 'Tell Carlisle this is what you want stunt' you told me you'd never ask me to make the choice but that it was what you wanted. Do you remember that?" Of course I fucking remembered it, I said it, so I nodded. "If you knew that I was one day going to be changed – Alice had seen it over and over so I know you knew too – why didn't you ever practice for me?"

"Next" I said a little louder. Not now, not ever.

"Jaz told me Edward, he told me you refused to practice and that you'd start a fight with anyone who ever mentioned it, I just want to know why. I mean, I think I know well enough by now that you didn't want this for me, but if it was inevitable anyway why didn't you practice?" She was getting upset now. I didn't want to have to say this shit, I didn't want to go here, this wasn't a discussion I was ever going to be comfortable with.

"Bella please." Please don't do this. Please. Please, if you can hear me don't do this.

"I know, I know you don't want to do this, I know you don't want me to do this but I need to know. I want to understand. You can tell me why, even if it's going to hurt me, I would rather know. Please Edward?" She was pleading, running her fingers through my hair and pleading with me.

"There was never going to be any point in me practicing their drills Isabella." It came out as a sigh, I exhaled it into her beautiful face and it felt like I was weak as I said it. "It was always going to end the same way. Jaz had to protect whatever humans there were. Emmett would take the girls away. Esme would go for Carlisle's bag and he'd take you away to change you. I never had to practice their fucking drills because my one, only, primary role was always going to be to kill whatever or whoever had hurt you." The last seven words slipped out of my mouth as a cry and I felt her shudder underneath me.

"Oh Edward. Oh darling…oh my god…I never thought…I didn't realize. Oh…" she was panting and I could feel her chest rising and falling rapidly as she fought her emotions. I felt like shit for telling her, I wished she'd just let it drop. I knew she had a right to know as much about me as she could before we got married but it would do neither of us any good to know stuff like this. I gripped her tighter across her waist and held her as she cried. I couldn't be angry with Jaz for telling her this stuff, one of the others would one day and she'd resent me for never telling her. "I'd never resent you Edward, but you're right, I do want to know things like this." She was calming slowly and her voice was back to being unbroken and more like her normal one.

"Jaz gave you a lot to think about didn't he?" She mumbled 'yeah' and I smiled. He was a complicated man and I wasn't a Jasper expert even after all these years but I knew he had a good heart and I also knew that if Alice had chosen him that was good enough for me. "He was prepared for you to attack him when he told you what he had planned you know?"

"I thought as much."

"Why didn't you?" I asked, eager to hear why she hadn't lost her temper with him.

"You heard me that day Edward, you were outside the door when I told him why I wasn't angry, nothings changed."

"Can you really accept that he had planned your death simply because he is a vampire and that's what vampires do?" I was so intrigued that this could be her truth.

"Partly, yes. I chose you Edward. You gave me a choice, remember?" She asked.

"Of course I remember." I stated blankly. What that had to do with anything I didn't know.

"You explained to me what you all were, you told me how it worked, and you told me what it was like for you. I accepted that at face value. I was a human in love with a vampire and you were in love with a human. You crave human blood that means your brothers and sisters and Carlisle and Esme do too. I always knew there was a risk that one of them would snap. It was worth the risk." She said it so matter of factly I felt the venom flash forwards in my mouth violently as my temper flared.

I closed my eyes and concentrated on it being in the past, all done, over with. Nothing and nobody would hurt her ever again now, she was strong, we were going to be married, and it was done. It was done. It was done. I chanted this over and over until my own breathing had settled enough for me to speak.

"Not all vampires would've backed off simply because you were my imprint or my fiancé Bella and especially not simply because you're a Cullen."

**BPOV**

He was angry and hurting and I could've felt his anger even if I couldn't hear his thoughts as he processed what I'd just told him. "What do you mean?" I felt fear for the first time since being changed.

He took a large gulp of air then began. "There are others, like us, out there Bella. They aren't all vegetarians like us, they don't all hold human life to mean something." He blew out his held breath and tightened his grip on my hip. This was something he didn't want me to either know about or have to think about, I could tell that from his thoughts as he wrestled with his conscience before telling me more. I ran my hand through his hair again, gently urging him forward. "This way of life that Carlisle has carved out for us sets us apart from the others and we aren't revered for it either. We have the dubious honour to be seen as freaks among freaks for denying ourselves the basics of this existence." I knew he wasn't ashamed of the sacrifice he made everyday by resisting human blood and I knew he was proud to be a Cullen and follow Carlisle's lead, so what was hurting him about his statement had me baffled. But still he went on. "I met another vampire in Seattle a while back, maybe 1995 or something, he was appalled that we hunted animals, he was disgusted. The irony of course is that he hunted humans and saw something wrong with me for hunting only animals. He was an evil bastard too. He loved the hunt, preferred to stalk his prey and made sure they knew it."

He shuddered and I held my breath. I didn't like to think about other vampires, they scared me a little. My hypocrisy wasn't lost on me at all. I wasn't scared of them because they were one of the only things that could take me from Edward, but because they weren't all friendly. Alice had told me about a few and I had heard about another small group that wandered around Washington now and then too, they were never spoken of as friends or family like Edward's cousins were in Denali.

"I trust you Edward." I wanted him to know that I truly did trust him to keep me safe even though I was a lot more resilient now. "We'll be okay, together."

"Of course we will. But I don't want you to ever think that just because you're changed now that I'll ever stop worrying about you, right?" I could feel his mood shift as he said it.

"I wont ever stop worrying about you either, despite you being crazy capable of kicking anyone and anything's ass." I laughed.

"Oh yeah, that's me, crazy capable. You've torn me a new one on several occasions Bella and it's always been me crumpled in a heap on the floor afterwards." He was laughing but he also winced as the memories of the few occasions I'd either lost my temper or we'd fought came to the front of his mind. "Next time there is any trouble I'm hiding behind you baby." He patted my tummy and I giggled.

"Are you scared of me Edward?" I teased.

"Definitely." He answered nudging my belly with his nose.

"Really? I'm not so scary, I'm just a girl." I grinned.

"Anyone who can get Rose to admit they needed to change their panties is scary Bella, trust me." He was laughing loudly now and I could feel the rumble of it through my stomach and between my legs.

"I'd never hurt you." I said quietly as I remembered how angry I'd been that day.

"I know love. But anytime you want to hold me down and have your wicked way with me, well, lets just say that I'm scared enough of your temper to just lay the fuck still while you had me."

I didn't need telling twice.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18 Watch and Wait

EPOV

We hunted again just as the sun was coming up on Saturday morning and then we showered and lazed around the cabin for the day. Neither of us wanting to do too much of anything really. We read a little, Bella rested a little in the afternoon while I spent some time on the laptop mucking about with a piano composition I was working on. We watched a movie in the early evening and after another quick hunt for Bella – who managed to wrestle a biggish bear to the ground right in front of my eyes, that turned me on something shocking – we'd only just managed to get back to the cabin before we ripped each other's clothing clean off our bodies.

Bella was once again resting under the covers of the big bed while I collected the shredded clothing from around the room and shoved it into my overnight bag. Alice was really going to enjoy our first year together, she'd get to do more clothes shopping for Bella and I than she'd done in the last decade for me alone!

Alice…she'd be at the cottage now, probably bossing everyone around. It would be almost finished by the time we got home tomorrow evening. I was so looking forward to Bella seeing it, almost as much as I was looking forward to being alone with Bella there after we were married. Married. Hmmm. Now there was a fabulous thought!

Mrs Isabella Cullen. Hmm. That sounded so incredible to me. I could hardly wait. I'd whisk her off to Vegas tomorrow morning and make it official if she'd let me!

"Not Vegas" Bella murmured and I smiled. "Alice would kill us."

I was fast approaching 81%. Possibly 84% in actuality, if I took into consideration how I could use her newfound ability to tease her. Mmm. Yeah. 84 was a good number, ish.

**BPOV**

There would be no running off to Vegas. Quite apart from the wrath of the Pixie-devil-shopping-Nazi-mind-reader woman I'd promised my parents I wouldn't do that.

I really would like to be married now though, as in right now. There never was any reason to wait, not even my age was a concern for me. I would have been eighteen in the New Year and I'd have been able to make my own decision even if Charlie or Renee decided to oppose it. Now there was nothing stopping us and I was as eager to be Edward's wife as he was to have me.

I tugged the blanket back up over my shoulders and shivered as the cool pillow shifted under my head. Wait! I don't need to shiver, I don't get cold, what was that about?

Hmm, weird. Mind playing tricks I suppose, left over human reaction.

Edward slipped into the bed behind me and he snuggled along the length of my back. "Hello there" I whispered as he nuzzled the back of my neck with his lips.

"Hey yourself" he whispered into my ear. I shivered again. This was a reaction I was used to. Edward's lips on my skin _always_ elicited a reaction of some sort.

"We can't run off to get married Edward." I knew he knew that, he was just as eager as I was though to make it official.

"I know, can't blame a guy for wishing though." He trailed his lips along my jaw and found the corner of my mouth.

I turned slightly and let his tongue run along my lower lip. I hummed appreciatively against his lips and he wrapped his arm around me and pulled me to him. "I am dying to make you my wife Isabella." He kissed me again. "I want your name to be my name." More kisses, this time across my cheek and into my hair. "I want the whole world to know that you chose me." He dipped his tongue into my ear making me shiver again. "I want everyone to know what the luckiest bastard on earth looks like when they see my smug face." He growled this line into my ear and I felt my desire pool between my legs.

"Will you have a smug face Edward?" I teased as he kissed back across to my mouth.

"I am abso-fucking-lutely dying to see the looks on those bastard schoolboy's faces when you come to school with me as my wife." He crowed against my lips.

I traced his bottom lip with my tongue and then made my way across his cheek to his ear and growled as he had. "I can't wait for all those bitches to know you are mine, all mine."

"Oh god…. mmm…Bella." He ground his hips into mine and pressed me harder into the mattress while kissing my neck. "Oh yeah…I want them all to know that…all mine." He growled again into my ear as his hand sneaked up under my top and closed over my breast.

I tugged his hair to pull his mouth down harder onto my nipple and we both groaned in pleasure as his teeth grazed my sensitive flesh. "Make me yours Edward," I moaned into his mouth as he shredded my knickers with his nails.

**EPOV**

Those filthy fucking bastards at the school would never, ever be able to take her from me once she wore my ring, never, ever again would I have to worry.

As I slid myself into her I thanked god for my Bella.

"Jesus…Bella…. so, so good." I pulled her to me with one hand on her hip and the other behind her neck so I could bite her as I made us one.

She was shivering under my touch as I plunged myself into her over and over again. With her legs locked behind me I couldn't pull out too far which only increased the friction for us both. Short, sharp strokes had her crying out my name as she climaxed for me.

With her clinging to me and urging me on it wasn't long before I felt the first tug in my gut that signaled my own release. I clasped her to me and dug my fingers into her skin to hold her as close to me as possible as I spilled into her. "Mine" I growled roughly into her ear as she whimpered my name once more.

As I held her I felt her breathing return to normal as she stroked my hair and ran her hands down my back. "I love you so much Edward."

"I love you too Bella, forever." I whispered as I rolled us both to the side so we were facing each other. I ran my thumb over her cheek and smiled across at her. She was so beautiful. I felt her shake from head to toe. "What was that baby?"" I grinned, hoping it was a left over from her orgasm just now.

"No idea. That's twice it's happened." She whispered, closing her eyes for a rest.

"Huh, so it's not my sexual prowess then?" I chuckled.

"Oh yeah…you're so good that five minutes later I'm still shivering baby." She giggled and I tickled her ribs until she asked for mercy.

We lay quietly for a while until I noticed her hand stray to her throat. She was thirsty again already. It had only been a few hours but I understood.

"Do you want to hunt again tonight love?" I asked.

"Yes please. Especially if we are going to the lake in the morning." I knew what she meant. We weren't the only ones staying in the forest and if we happened to be disturbed at the lake tomorrow by a human Bella wanted to be well glutted just in case.

I left her under her blankets and opened our bags. I threw her some clean underwear, jeans and a jersey and got the same for myself. I excused myself for a quick shower and when I came back out she was sitting on the sofa with her feet tucked underneath herself, fully dressed, but staring off into space.

"Bella? Everything alright love?" I asked gently.

She whipped her head around to where I stood and smiled. She stood and gave me a heartbreakingly beautiful smile, especially for me. Oh how I loved her.

"I felt a little lightheaded just now but now that I'm standing it's gone. You're better in bed than I first thought." She winked at me and I chuckled.

"Oh yeah, that's me. One hundred and nine year old stud." I flexed my biceps and she ran to me and pushed me back onto the bed. She kissed me soundly on the lips. God she was sexy, what made her doubly desirable was the fact that she didn't realize it herself.

"I hear you, I might not be able to blush anymore but I hear you." She poked me in the chest with her finger and we both laughed loudly. "Lets go, I'm starving, again." She patted me on the ass as we ran off into the forest.

**BPOV**

I thought my thirst was supposed to decrease as time went on? I felt impossibly thirstier if it was possible. I'd hunted three times in twenty-four hours but I still felt the crazy burn in my throat. Actually, that was wrong. I wasn't thirsty I just felt the burn. The two didn't seem to together at the moment. I hunted purely because I thought it would assuage the burn but it didn't. My gut was sloshing with the sheer volume of blood I'd consumed in the past day but still my throat burned. And the shivering, it was getting more and more frequent. I was beginning to get a little worried. Thank god Edward couldn't read my mind. If he thought something was wrong he'd panic and it would be goodbye happy go lucky sex god and hello sweater vest searching medical textbook middle aged Edward 1.0.

By the time we were heading out of the forest again on Sunday night I felt a little better. The shivering was infrequent but not annoying so I ignored it. I still had the dull ache in my throat but I'd resisted hunting again this afternoon as a kind of experiment. I'd leave it till Monday to hunt again and see if the burn subsided at all before I mentioned it to either Edward or Carlisle. Preferably Carlisle, Edward would overreact.

It had been the perfect weekend and I was sad to be going home. I wanted to see the family but being totally alone with Edward had been blissful. I hoped our honeymoon was similar. And longer.

I let Edward drive and as we flew along the highway we talked about cars and the wedding and school and all things Charlie and Renee. I was about to ask about the cottage when my cell phone vibrated in my pocket. Alice

"Hi Alice. What's news?" I asked.

"Carlisle is waiting for you in his study. I'll take Edward away to the cottage to distract him but you'll need to be quick. I'll find you tomorrow and talk to you about what I just saw. When I hang up Edward is going to ask you what I wanted, tell him whatever you want, just say ok."

"Um, okay." I said. What the hell is her problem?

"See you in two hours, bye Bella." The beeping told me she'd gone so I closed my phone and frowned.

"What does the annoying little bugger want?" Edward chuckled.

I chuckled as best I could and said she was just checking if we'd left yet and that she was dying to show you the progress on the cottage. I harrumphed suitably as he teased me about having seen it before I had. I played along but all the way home a nagging, niggling feeling in the pit of my stomach told me that something wasn't quite right.

"Describe it as best you can Bella, we need to be brief." Carlisle said as I lay down on Edward's bed. Carlisle ran his hands over my torso and checked me out as he would check any vampire, I assumed. There was no pulse to check, no heart beat to count, no temperature issues and no point checking for aches or pains. It was the briefest exam I'd ever had!

"I need to feed all the time. Not like a newborn though, I feed and glut myself on blood but the burn doesn't go away, ever. I'm not thirsty but the burning is there. And I keep shivering. I'm not cold but I shiver." I was worried if he was worried so I kept staring at his face to see if he was. He was impassive.

"I don't know what to tell you Bella. I've never met a newborn quite like you so I don't know if what you're experiencing is because of the way your change was conducted or whether its something more. I'll monitor you carefully for the next few days. It will be easier with Edward away at school during the day, so I'll come back here daily to check you out okay?" I nodded and he went on. "I think you are right to keep Edward in the dark for now, he'd only worry and it could be nothing. Let me know the instant something changes yes?"

"Of course. Thanks dad." I grinned up at him and he beamed.

"You are most welcome." He clicked his medical bag shut, not that he'd needed it, and patted my arm for me to get up. "I trust you had an enjoyable weekend?" he grinned.

"Yeah. It was great." I laughed.

"Indeed. Well, I'll head on back to my study. Edward will be back soon I'm sure. I'll see you tomorrow around noon." He nodded again and left.

I ran to Alice's room and handed her a note and some quick instructions and then I went back up to our room.

I busied myself putting my things away from my overnight bag and soon enough Edward came flying up the staircase and into my arms.

"Mmm, I missed you." He growled into my neck.

"You were only gone ten minutes." I giggled as he pulled me into the bathroom with him.

"I know, and I know you wont believe this, but in that ten minutes I got horribly, horribly dirty. You may need to wash me." He chuckled darkly as he pulled his shirt off over his head and threw it in the hamper. _"You can either remove your clothes yourself or I will Bella. I wont be gentle though." _He was smirking as he took his jeans off and threw them with his shirt. Oh er. I liked this shirt but not enough for me to turn down a chance to have it ripped off my body by my own personal sex god. Have at it Edward! I thought, standing defiantly.

He stalked me across the bathroom, he stood before me and ran a finger across my jaw, down my throat and to the juncture of the v-neck t-shirt I was wearing. With a resounding rip it fell to the floor in tatters. Hmmm. I don't like these jeans that much either if you want to remove them the same way big boy.

**EPOV**

"I heard you." I put both my hands on her shoulders and stared down into her shocked face. "I fucking heard you Bella." I was shaking now and Bella was shivering violently. "I couldn't make out the first part but I distinctly heard the word jeans and same. What were you thinking about just then Bella?" I was so excited all thoughts of getting into the shower had fled. I stood with my hands on her shoulders and begged her to tell me.

"I don't know really. I just was sort of thinking that it was great when you took my shirt off like that and it would be good if you did the same to my jeans." She looked dazed and felt a little shaky under my hands.

"Holy shit. I heard you. I can't believe it. Were you doing anything different?"

"Like what Edward? I was just standing here hoping you'd rip my pants off, doesn't that qualify as different?" She laughed.

"Yeah, I suppose it does." My desire for her was returning to my brain and I reached out and flicked the button of her jeans off and then ran my fingers down either seam of her pants and then threw them away for the rags they were. _"I can't wait to get inside you baby."_ It was the filthiest thing I'd ever said - even though I said it in my mind and not out loud - to her so I watched her face for a reaction. I was not disappointed.

She flung herself at me, pressing me up against the wall of the bathroom. "Inside me, now" she growled into my open mouth and I didn't need telling twice.

96%. Definitely. If I was asked I'd say I 96% fucking loved being read by Isabella. Yeah, 96%.

**BPOV**

When Edward's ipod alarm went off I couldn't hide or stifle the choking sob that escaped my throat. He was going to school, without me.

I rolled over and buried my face in his neck and sobbed. He stroked my hair and rubbed my back and told me how much he was going to miss me but it didn't help. He would go off with his brothers and sisters and I'd be stuck here all day without him. For the very first time, seven hours without him.

"Don't cry baby, please don't cry. I promise to call you at every break I get, I promise you Bella." He whispered against my lips. "Text me anytime you want and I'll answer. I'm a master at hiding it, ask Alice. I have ninja texting skills like you wouldn't believe." He was laughing but I wasn't buying it. I knew he was in as much agony as I was, I could feel it in his kiss and hear it in his voice and in his head.

"You can't hide it from me Edward, we're in this together, just say it." I begged.

"Oh Bella I don't want to make this harder than it has to be. You know I don't want to leave you." He kissed me again and I listened carefully for his thoughts. He kept chanting over and over about this is what being a Cullen is about, responsibility and keeping the secret. I may not have liked it but I understood it.

"Ok, let's just suck it up and get it over with then shall we?" I flung my legs over the edge of the bed and went into the bathroom. I turned at the door and smirked at him, "You coming? We can't have you turning up for school dirty, can we?" He was beside me in a quarter of a second.

We made it downstairs with only half a minute to spare, he had to leave at eight thirty and we only just managed to tear ourselves apart on the bottom stair as Emmett shouted for Edward to get in or they'd leave him behind. I heard his mental voice say that was fine by him but in the end I pulled myself away from him and told him sternly that he had to go.

I felt an idiot as I stood on the steps watching him leave me. Esme came out and put her arm around my waist. "It's the same everyday when Carlisle goes to work. Hmm." She mused.

"Really?" I was stunned. Even after all these years she still felt this way?

"Oh yes, of course. I wont tell you this feeling will go away because I hope it never does, but you will get better and better about being apart for a few hours at a time. Come on in, we've got chores to do then some shopping to sort out for your room."

I let her lead me back into the house and I got on with my chores. I cleaned our bathroom and tidied our bedroom and then I called my mother and talked to her for a while. I told her what I could about our weekend away but I think she guessed where the missing hours went from my story.

"What did you two get up to while we were away?" I asked hoping she'd let slip something interesting.

"Oh this and that. We went for a meal at the Lodge on Saturday night, that was nice. We ran into some people I knew from when I lived here last and that was okay too. We went shopping yesterday to Port Angeles. Nothing was open here so we went to the city. I haven't been there in an age, it's so big now." She sounded pleased.

"What did you get, anything good?"

"Plenty. Some clothes and some stuff for the house, brighten it up a bit you know? We needed new linen and I don't think Charlie had ever bought new towels since we divorced." She laughed.

"Sounds good. Your car can be collected today can't it?" I asked.

"Yep. I'm dying to get my hands on it now. Thank you again baby girl."

"How are you getting down there?"

"Your dad is going to pick me up during his lunch hour and take me over to get it."

"Hmm mmm." I mumbled. So, Charlie and Renee had gone shopping for linen and towels, that must mean Renee isn't going anywhere soon, even after Edward and I are married. Hmmmm.

"What does hmmm mean exactly Bella?" she laughed.

"Oh, you know, just hmmm." I laughed too.

"Come on, spill it." She insisted.

"When a mommy loves a daddy very much they buy linen together." I giggled.

"Oh Bella, you've got no idea!" She laughed, but I noticed she didn't deny it either. Wow.

"Should I be asking what your intentions toward my father are madam?" I giggled again.

"Maybe. Listen Bella, I have to go, my mobile is ringing. Will we see you online tonight?"

"Yep, I'll see you then, bye mom, love you."

"Love you too, bye." And she hung up. Well, well, well. There you go. Not an admission but not a denial either.

Esme called to me from downstairs so I grabbed the laptop and flew down to meet her. We were going shopping and I had a credit card. Tee hee.

**EPOV**

"Is it true then?" Mike 'Douchewad' Newton asked. I'd only just gotten out of the car and he was already in my face. Fuck. Great start to what was going to be a bitch of a day anyway.

"What are you on about Newton?" I said spitefully, knowing full well what he wanted.

Tyler Crowley, Ben and Angela came to stand near us too. Angela and Ben already knew and I was thankful that they'd not shared what they knew, but obviously now the cat was out of the bag, thanks to Alice's failure to deny it last week.

"Is it true that you're going to marry Bella Swan over the holidays?" He stopped walking and stood staring at me. I took a quick look to Alice and the others but they were walking away rather hurriedly. Thanks you bastards.

"Come on dude, are you or aren't you getting hitched?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah, we are. New Years Eve." I wanted to add don't wait by your mailbox waiting for an invite but didn't feel the need to be anymore smug than normal. I had won the girl, they'd deal.

"Huh. Shit. I was sure it was bullshit. Congrats dude." Tyler held out his hand and I shook it, smiling widely.

"Thanks." I said. He was thinking how lucky I was and I couldn't have agreed more. Newton on the other hand was running through scenarios in his head on how he should word his objection when the preacher asked during the ceremony. I gritted my teeth and walked straight by him and caught up to Angela and Ben who were both in my first class anyway. "Thanks for not spilling your guts last week you two. I appreciate that."

"No problem. How is Bella feeling Edward?" Angela asked. I hated having to lie to her, she was a lovely girl, but I could see no way around it.

"She's getting better everyday, but still contagious. So no school for her this term. After the holidays I think she'll be back." I smiled as she nodded.

"Wow, when she comes back she'll be Mrs Cullen. Wow. Tell her I'll call her later tonight. Is that her mom staying with Charlie? I saw them at the Lodge on Saturday night having dinner. She sure looks like her mom huh?" Angela asked.

Shit. I'd not thought about what to say about Bella being at our house and not her own. There was no real reason she would be living with me now instead of with Charlie until we were married. Damn. I'd have to ask Carlisle about that one this afternoon. So for now I just ignored that part of the question and answered Angela with what I could. "Yeah, Renee, that's her mom. She split up from her husband and came to stay while Bella was sick." All three of us headed off to our lockers and thankfully mine was at the other end of the hall from theirs so they couldn't ask any more questions.

I was about to pull open my locker when none other than Lauren Mallory tapped me on the shoulder. That she'd dared to touch me was enough to make me angry, her question didn't aide the rush of venom in my mouth either.

"Mike Newton just told me you are going to marry Swan over the break. What gives?" She stood with her arms folded across her chest and I could tell from the way she was raging in her head that she was teetering between disgust for my choice and rage that Bella had somehow tricked me. I decided that stubbing out this girls particular issues was definitely the way to go so I squared my shoulders and walked towards her until she was pressed up against the lockers on the far side of the hall. There were students all around and I had no intention of touching her, but I needed her to know this was the last time I'd be speaking to her, ever.

"Lauren I'm going to say this only once, so listen very, very carefully. One, her name is Isabella Swan, learn it, know it, use it. When she returns to school next term she will be Isabella Cullen, remember that Lauren. Two, Bella is neither pregnant nor mentally ill, we're getting married because we want to, end of story. And three, and I want to make this very, very clear to you Lauren, don't ever approach me and touch me again. Are we clear?" I said in a low hiss.

"Ye...yes. Sorry." She stammered and ran off towards the girls locker room. I could hear her hyperventilating and I knew she'd miss her first class cowering in fear in the toilets but I couldn't care less.

The cacophony of voices around me was hard to take after a week of almost silence as I'd been locked away with Bella so much of the time. Nobody had taken too much notice of my altercation with Lauren and everyone just seemed to be in hurry as the first bell was about to ring. I hadn't missed this part of being 'normal' at all. Mike and Tyler had done their job well in the few minutes between the car park and the hall. It was the topic de jour on everyone's mind.

"_I give it six months."_

"_What a waste, he'll be bored with her by Easter."_

"_Lucky, lucky bastard."_

"_Un-fucking-believable. He gets the looks, the money and the girl."_

"_She's clever to snag that."_

"_I wonder how far along she is?"_

I baulked at that. I thought I was prepared for that question, whether Bella was pregnant and that's why we were getting married young. Obviously I wasn't ready at all. My reaction to Lauren just now had proved that, so I'd have to try harder. I had to hold my breath and concentrate real hard on how Bella had felt in my arms last night to distract myself from Jessica Stanley's horrible mental thoughts. I knew it had been her that said it, I could tell her voice anywhere. Horrible bitch that she was.

As I rifled through my locker a lilac envelope fluttered to the ground at my feet and I smiled. Mmm, I knew this paper. I picked it up and slipped my finger along the sealed edge. A single piece of the same lilac paper was now in my hand.

My beautiful Edward,

I miss you already. I'll be waiting for you to come home to me.

Don't let anyone get to you, I'm marrying you because I love you, only you,

Always you. Forever yours,

Bella

Xxooxx

How does she know exactly what to say and when I need to hear it? Because she loves you dumb ass I said to myself and chuckled. I folded the note in half and stuck it in my jeans pocket. I'd keep it with me all day now. Sneaky little witch, I wonder which one of my family had snuck it in there? Alice, I'd bet.

As I slipped into my seat in my first class I took out my cell phone and tapped away stealthily.

**BPOV**

Esme and I had a list of what we had to shop for now. Two double sided A4 pages of list in fact. It was going to cost a fortune and I still wasn't sure it was a good idea, with the cottage and everything. But Esme had insisted we do it anyway.

So we were sat with the laptop on the dining room table and a large sheet of white paper with a plan etched onto it in pencil. All the items on the plan were numbered and each number was written on our list complete with what colour, what size and where to get it. Esme was a powerhouse when it came to decorating. She knew everyone and everywhere to go. Soon I had a list of receipt numbers a mile long and near on thirty thousand dollars of my account missing. Hot damn! Edward will be proud!

I smelled the human long before I heard him knock on the door. Esme stiffened beside me but I took a good, clean gulp of air and nodded to her.

"I'll be quick." She whispered and went to the front door.

I couldn't see the door from where I sat at the dining room table but I could hear the conversation. He was delivering something and Esme was impressed, whatever it was.

She came into the dining room after signing for the delivery and I couldn't even see her! She was hidden behind a massive arrangement of flowers, complete with trademark crystal vase.

"I think these are you for." She giggled before putting them on the table.

I picked the small white envelope from between the petals of a large orchid and ripped it open eagerly. I read it and sighed, oh how gorgeous is he?

"May I?" Esme asked nodding towards the card.

"Of course." I handed it to her and turned my attention back to the flowers. They were stunning, easily three feet tall in their vase and they smelled divine.

"Oh isn't he lovely?" She gasped. "My darling Isabella, In 33 days you'll make me the happiest man in the world. I love you more each day, Eternally yours, Edward." She held her hand to her heart and I knew it was for Edward.

"Aren't they beautiful? He's a sneaky one, I didn't notice him organizing this. Hmm." I was turning the vase round and round looking at all the different flowers.

"It must be strange for him having to hide his thoughts from someone for a change." She giggled.

"He's been playing a game in his mind all weekend. Before we left for the cabin he had himself convinced that he hated it, me reading him. As our weekend went along he had it up to about eighty percent or something, the amount he liked it that I could read him. Last night it was ninety-six." I giggled.

"Ninety-six hey? Well, it must have been a pretty good weekend then." She giggled too.

My cell phone beeped in my pocket and I smiled and sighed when I read the message.

~Your note was perfect, just what I needed. Like you, just what I need, all the time. Love you, E xx~

I quickly opened my message centre and replied hoping he didn't get into trouble for texting in class.

~If you get a detention for texting I'll have to punish you. Your flowers are glorious, just like you. Love you too, Bxx ~

"No need to ask who that was." Esme giggled again and I slipped my phone into my pocket.

"Yeah, well…" I trailed off. Esme opened the laptop again and we got back to work.

**EPOV**

"Thank you for slipping Bella's note into my locker." I ruffled Alice's hair as we stood in the lunch line.

"You're welcome." She smiled up at me. "How are you holding up?"

"I've had better days Alice." I said running my free hand through my hair and sighing.

"Hang in there, two weeks and you're out of here." She patted my arm as we went towards our usual table.

The mental voices were agonizing today. We were the topic on everybody's lips and minds. Ben and Angela were already sat at the table, as were Rose and Em. I hadn't seen Jasper yet today, other than this morning and I looked around for him. Alice didn't seem too bothered by his absence so he couldn't be far. I listened to see if I could hear him but couldn't pick him up.

"Where's Jaz?" I asked Alice.

"He's gone to the library to fetch Seth." She answered.

"Why?" I asked concerned now.

"Jaz saw him in the hall this morning and Seth looked scared and said he felt waves of anxiety coming off him. When he didn't show in the lunch line Jaz said he'd go find him. I figured he'd be in the library, hiding." She shrugged.

"Have you seen anything?" I asked her but she shook her head. _"He's almost completely wolf now, I can barely make him out anymore. Look." _She told me as she tried to concentrate on a blurry vision she'd had. It was Seth all right but he was hazy and the image was very smoky, like a thick fog covered it. Seth was on the football field and was being pummeled by two bigger kids. It didn't look friendly, that's for sure. "When?" I growled.

"After school." She whispered as we took our seats at the table. I said my hello's to the others and tried to look interested in the conversation while I tried to isolate either Jasper or Seth's voices.

I could just make out Jasper pleading with him to join us as they came through the double doors. I turned around so that Seth could see me and I smiled and waved him over. His mental voice instantly relaxed, so did his shoulders. He walked towards us and I nodded my thanks to Jaz as he came to sit beside Alice. I reached down the table and held my fist out for him, he bumped it and told me I was welcome.

"Hey Seth, come sit with us yeah?" I asked as he approached the empty seat. Bella's empty seat.

"Are you sure?" He asked warily. Everyone at the table said of course they were sure and he smiled widely and sat. I shoved my tray across the table for him told him to help himself.

"Ben, Angela this is our friend Seth. Seth this is Angela Weber and Ben Cheney." Both Ben and Angela welcomed Seth and he said how good it was to meet them both.

"_Thanks Edward. I didn't know if I would be welcome, you know?" _He said mentally while he tucked into my lunch. I nodded as minutely as I could and he smiled in my direction. "How is Bella doing you guys?" He asked.

"Heaps better dude. You go visit her, she'd like to see you." Emmett grinned.

"I will. I promised your mom I'd visit there too but I'll wait for a dinner time, she makes great pasta." He laughed. The five vampires at the table all wrinkled their noses and laughed.

**BPOV**

"Anything new today Bella?" Carlisle asked me as he palpated my stomach.

"Nothing physical, no. Last night Edward said he heard my mental voice." I said and watched his reaction.

"Well, that certainly is new." He felt all across my stomach and then he motioned for me to sit back up and he took my hands in his and rolled them over a few times looking at my palms. Then he knelt down and sat at the foot of the bed and took my shoe off my foot and examined my ankle before putting my foot back down on the floor. "Are you still burning without the thirst?"

"Yes. I've not hunted today because I don't feel thirsty but the burn is there. There was a human here this morning to deliver flowers and I felt no compulsion at all to want him." I shook my head, there was definitely something wrong. "What do you think it is?"

"I don't know, but I am researching. So for now we wait, we watch and wait. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." He patted my shoulder and we went back downstairs. I was worried though, very worried.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19 First Hint

**EPOV**

I had asked Seth to wait for me after school and found him waiting near the car as the bell rang. He smiled as he saw me coming and I again found comfort in his mental thoughts. He was a very, very nice boy. Actually, now he was a man and almost a fully fledged wolf, I'd have to remember not to call him a boy anymore.

"Hey Seth." I bumped his shoulder as I leaned against the car.

"Hey Edward. Thanks for letting me sit with you guys today." He said shyly.

"We told you before Seth, you're family now, you are always welcome wherever we are. But hey, while I've got you here, how come you're still going to school here? I thought you'd be back at the Rez for sure?"

"Nah, I like it here. I've made some friends and I can get away from the tribunal here. The school at the Rez spends the whole time crapping on about the legends and it's just not for me. I think I'll stick it out here for a bit longer." He chuckled.

"Fair enough. You have made a couple enemies too huh?" I asked carefully, not wanting to upset him.

He shrugged and said sure he had. "It's not so bad. I can handle it."

"Alice saw it Seth, they'll be waiting for you on the football field just now, I don't want to baby you Seth, you're a man, I know that, but you can tell me, right?"

"Thanks, but I can handle it." He seemed to waiver a little both in his body language and his mental convictions and I thought he might actually be working up the courage to ask me to intervene. I had no idea who the bullies were, Alice's vision was too blurry, but I could always find out.

"I don't want you to get into trouble doing something you'll regret later Seth. It's a tough time for you, your change." I nodded towards his burgeoning muscles and he grinned. "How goes your transformation, you're looking good, bigger." I nudged him again and he laughed.

"Yeah, it's good. I mean, sometimes it's weird and I'm sick of the fever, but it's going ok. Sam has been brilliant. He says hi by the way." He was eager to drop the subject of his tormentors so I let it go.

The others were coming down the hill now and they were all eager to talk to him, to find out about his transformation too seeing as we'd not been able to talk about it at lunch. I stepped aside as everyone had a turn checking him out and asking him how it was all going. I looked down at my watch and Alice sniggered.

"What?" I growled.

"We'd better get going you guys or Bella and Edward will combust." She giggled and Rose snorted.

"Shut it woman." I shot at Alice, poking my tongue at her. "Seth, can I tell Esme and Bella you'll visit tomorrow after school? You can come home with us if you want?"

"Yeah, that'd be brilliant. Say hi to Bella for me, and your mom and dad, I'll see you tomorrow." He waved as he ran to catch his bus.

I was in the car and tapping the dash within half a second. Jasper and Alice climbed in and were chuckling away as I begged her to please drive faster. The Porsche shot off towards the highway at a good clip and I could feel my desire building.

**BPOV**

If he wasn't here in two more minutes I was going running down the driveway to look for him. I was pacing along the bottom of the staircase and Esme was giggling her ass off on the sofa watching me.

"Calm down Bella, you'll wear the finish off my floors!" She laughed.

"Sorry, can't help it." I kept right on pacing. I heard the first faint sound of the car and I held my breath. "They're here!" I screeched, making Esme jump.

The car didn't even stop fully before Edward was through the front door and had me round the waist. I didn't even get out a greeting before he was walking me, backwards, up the stairs, his lips on mine.

His eyes were pitch black and he was breathing heavily as his tongue swept into my mouth. I heard his book bag hit the stairs and Esme groaned as the glass squeaked under its weight. Edward didn't care. He wound one hand around my waist pulling me to him, my feet off the steps now and he used his other hand to pull my mouth to his as he lifted me and carried me like that up two flights of stairs to our room.

"I guess we won't be seeing them again today." Rose giggled.

"It's only fair, he's put up with us for so long, it's his turn now." Esme laughed.

"I need her for an hour later Edward!" Alice screeched as we hit the top floor.

I heard their laughter as Edward kicked the door shut as we went through it. I had his shirt already out of his jeans and he had my jeans undone before we even made it into the room properly.

He let go of my lips so he could reef my shirt over my head and I did the same to his. He kissed me along my jaw and to my ear, "Oh god Bella that was torture…I'm not going tomorrow…they can fuck off…I can't be away from you that long…" he used his nails to rip through the clasp of my bra and I felt it fling off my arms and onto the pile on the floor. He stepped out of his shoes and let his jeans fall down his thighs. I put my foot into them and pulled them all the way to the floor and waited for him to shuck them off. "I need you Bella…tell me you need me." He groaned as he pushed my jeans down and followed the same pattern I had to get him out of his.

"Edward…Jesus…you've got no idea how much I need you…too long…horrible day…want you now…" I trailed off as his lips found my nipple. I ran my hands through his hair and pulled his mouth down to it harder.

We were still standing in the middle of the room so I walked us backwards until my back was up against the doorframe of the bathroom. He let my nipple go and ran his tongue over my pitch-black tattoo and raised his eyes to mine.

"Tell me…again…" He growled as he took my other nipple between his teeth and bit down.

I needed more, I needed him now. I didn't want half an hour of foreplay I wanted him inside me, now. "More…I need more Edward…" I gasped as his fingers found my aching clit.

"I can hear you Bella…again…" He hissed into my ear.

Oh god, he can hear me!

**EPOV**

I heard her say she wanted me in her, now. I nearly came right then it was such a clear sound. She wanted me inside her.

"_Now…I want you now Edward. Right here, against this door. I need you." _She thought and I hissed again. So hot. So very, very hot to be able to hear what she wants.

"_You want me here Bella…against this door?" _I answered her with my thoughts and felt her nod her head as I bit down on her bottom lip.

I held her still with one hand and used the other to hook under her knee, pulling her leg so it was wrapped around my waist. With one simple hoisting maneuver I was inside her. We both gasped at the sheer pleasure of it and I took her tongue back into my mouth as I began to rock against the doorframe.

**BPOV**

He'd answered me in his mind! We were having a conversation silently!

'Oh Edward! I love you so much baby' I thought as he flexed his hips and thrust into me deeper.

"_I love you too Bella…so much…. so good…want you…so badly…all day…torture" _he was whimpering in his mind as he pulled me harder onto his cock using my leg.

"_Oh…yes…there…right there…oh god Edward…yes…want you too…too long, don't go tomorr…" _I didn't manage to finish the thought before my climax swept me away. I clutched at his back and shoulders with my fingernails and bit down on his tongue as I came undone in his arms.

"_Yeah…give it up for me…god…so good too good…can't…oh god…" _he screamed my name as he released himself into me.

We stood against the doorframe for a fair while just letting our breathing go back to normal. It felt so good to just be touching him again. I drank in his scent and touched him from hip to the tip of his head, stroking my fingers along his marble smooth skin. He was real, he was here and he was mine, forever.

**EPOV**

She's real, she's here and she's mine, forever. I can't go back to that fucking school, nobody can make me. We'll go away. Far away. Just us. Alone. Maybe we'll come back in twenty years or something, but I need her, all mine, just us.

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen you will do no such thing! I'm watching you." Alice screamed from somewhere on the first floor and Bella jumped about a foot out of my arms and laughed.

"Oops" I laughed, "Sorry Alice, I didn't mean it, not really, sort of." I called.

"We can't do that Edward. No matter how appealing it seems." Bella giggled as she collected her shredded clothing and threw them onto the bed.

"Yeah, I know. But the mind wants what my dick wants, you know?" I tilted my head to the side and threw her a half apologetic half serious smile.

"Filthy boy. God I love you." She flung herself into my arms and I kissed her soundly on her swollen lips.

"I love you too baby. So very much. Today was torture without you." I said honestly.

She threw me a jersey and took one for herself and settled onto the end of the bed. I watched as she tucked her shirt into her jeans. She was so beautiful. I pulled on my own jeans and then the jersey and went to kneel between her thighs as she sat on the bed.

"It was torture for me too, your flowers are so pretty, thank you so much." She kissed the top of my head.

"You're very welcome. Thirty-three days baby. That's all, thirty-three days and you're mine in everyway."

"I'm yours now Edward, but I can't wait thirty-three days either." She giggled.

I needed to change the subject or we'd never leave this room ever again. "I talked to Seth today. He's going to stay enrolled at Forks and he's going to come visit you tomorrow after school. Sam says hi too." I stood and went to the desk to collect my wallet and keys. "I think Alice wants to see you so I'm going to take the Veyron round to your dads, inspect Renee's new car, okay?"

"Ok, you won't be long though, right?" She asked and I smirked.

'Show me your tattoo Bella' I thought pointedly. She grinned and pulled down the top of her jersey. It was pitch black. 'No, I won't be long' I chuckled. I still couldn't hear her much, only during sex so far, but I'd keep trying to isolate her voice anyway.

"Hurry back then." She purred as she wrapped herself around me and sucked my ear lobe.

"I will." I kissed her soundly on her lips and ran out the door and down to the garage before my resolved faltered.

**BPOV**

I knocked on Alice's bedroom door and she came skipping out onto the landing.

"Hey," I said, as she looked me over from head to toe with her brows furrowed.

"What?" I asked.

"Let's get out of here for a bit, I need to talk to you." She grabbed my hand and dragged me down the stairs and out the backdoor.

As we flew through the forest I asked her what the hell was going on but she shook her head and kept running, so I followed. When we came to the mouth of the river she flopped down onto the sand and gestured for me to do the same. I sat crossed legged on the little beach and waited for her to spill her guts.

"I had a vision yesterday afternoon, of you, and I don't know what it means. I've told Carlisle what I saw but he agreed Edward doesn't need to see this. You've been feeling 'off' right?" She used her fingers to emphasize the word off and I nodded.

"Is there something wrong with me Alice? Did something go wrong with my change?" I had really, really wanted to talk to her about it but it was so hard with Edward around and now that he was beginning to hear my mental voice I'd never be able to keep anything from him, even things I think he shouldn't know about.

"I don't think that's it Bella, you've were perfectly fine up until Saturday night, right?" She asked and I thought about it and nodded.

"Yeah, I was fine. I mean, I had only just been changed so it was all a bit weird for me, but I felt ok. What did you see Alice?"

"I don't want you to panic because you know that things change, people change their minds and circumstances are always shifting right? So what I saw may never happen or it might happen but for a good reason, okay?" She held onto my hand and I steeled myself, nothing good can ever come from a warning like that but I nodded anyway. "I saw you lying on the dining room table, in a plain white dress, like the one I dressed you in during your change. Carlisle had scrubs on, you were quite obviously in agony." She whispered and I shuddered.

"Edward?" I whispered.

"I don't know, he wasn't there. But that doesn't mean anything either Bella." She put her head in my hands and we both cringed. Something was obviously, very, very wrong.

**EPOV**

The cream colored Ford Focus in the driveway made me smile. Bella's gift to her mother.

I ran to the steps and knocked on the kitchen door. Renee ushered me inside and thanked me again and again for the car. I, again, made it clear that it was from Bella, not me but she wouldn't hear of it.

"How is she today?" She asked as she clicked on the kettle. I quickly took in the changes in the small kitchen. There was a new microwave oven, new tea towels and a small vase of wild flowers stood on the small table. When she opened the refrigerator to take out the pint of milk I could see packages of food inside. She'd been cooking. Hmmm. Bella had told me her mother rarely cooked but it looked like she was making an effort now.

"She's doing great Renee, really great. Stronger everyday. She's going to be online after your dinner time, she can't wait to talk to you." I told her as she poured the boiling water into her mug.

"Come sit in here," she waved toward the living room. She took Charlie's recliner and I sat on the loveseat. "I'd offer you something, but." She smiled and shrugged.

"That's okay Renee, it's kind of you to offer. How are you and Charlie doing?" I asked.

"Fine, great…really great." Her blush rose more slowly than Bella's used to but my heart still clenched when I saw it. I'd never see Bella's again. I tried to concentrate on Renee's mental voice both as a distraction and to work out what the dreamy look on her face meant. She was thinking about the dinner they'd had out this weekend and then I saw a flash of what they'd done when they got home. Eww. Charlie you old dog you!

"Esme has been keeping you busy with wedding plans I hear?"

"Oh yes. We talk a lot, on the phone mostly, but I'll be going over there in a few days to have a look at some of hers and Alice's ideas. Carlisle thinks I should invite Bella over here after dinner one night, just for a short visit, what do you think?" She scrunched her eyes up and I heard her think about the way Bella's hand had flown to her throat the last time she'd seen her.

"She really is doing well Renee. She was fine when the driver dropped off our cars on Friday, she was okay again at the gas station and today she was fine while another delivery was made to the house. Why don't you ask her tonight, while you're online, if she can drop by tomorrow? Esme will come with her but I think she'd like to keep trying."

"Ok, I will ask her. If you think I should?" She wasn't convinced.

"I do. I have a favour to ask while I'm here Renee. This is going to seem a little strange for you, and I'm sorry about that, but would you help me organize my honeymoon?" I ran a hand through my hair and let out the breath I was holding. This was so weird, "Bella can hear my thoughts now, and I can't bloody hide anything from her anymore." I growled. Renee's laughter reverberated off the walls it was so loud.

**BPOV**

Alice took me the long way home so I could hunt before returning to the house. I was still a little shaky from what she'd told me but I was doing my best to hide it and to contain it. If Edward was beginning to read me I'd have to practice holding those things in and keeping them out of the front of my mind.

As we ran back she began to tell me about plans for the wedding. "Where would you like to have the actual ceremony Bell's?" She asked as we skipped over the river.

"I'd like to have it here, on the lawn. What do you think Esme would say?"

"She'd love it. Why don't we ask her now?" I nodded and Alice took my hand and led me up the backstairs into the kitchen to find Esme.

"Esme has agreed mom, we are going to have the ceremony here." I made sure I sat still so Renee could see me via the webcam.

"Oh that's lovely Bella. It's so nice there. It will be cold though."

"Only for you and dad," I laughed and she crinkled her nose up. "We'll put those huge patio heaters out mom. Unless it snows, then we'll do it inside. There wont be many of us anyway."

"Sounds fantastic. I talked to Esme yesterday about going shopping with you and Alice sometime. For dresses you know? What do you think?" I could hear the hope in her voice and see her desperation on her face.

"I'd like that. Can we have a few practices first though mom? Esme and I are going to a shop tomorrow for the first time, I'd like to be able to do that with you, but it's not safe yet. Esme will be able to pull me away if I go a bit…well you know. If that goes okay tomorrow you can come with us next time. What do you think?" I was so hoping she wouldn't feel hurt or left out that I was going to do something with Esme and not her.

I kept a good watch on her face as she answered but saw nothing but happiness that I was going to try.

"Let me know how you go tomorrow, I know you'll be great though. Would you like to come by tomorrow, for a few minutes?"

"I'd like that mom. Esme will be with me, just in case, but I'd like that. Now, what did Edward say while he was there?" We settled in for a bit of girl talk and gossip.

**EPOV**

"I can't tell you Edward, it's a secret." Alice was so fucking annoying sometimes!

"You'll slip. I'll wait." I grinned at her and she swatted my arm. Her and Bella had a secret and they wouldn't share. I was so frustrated with them both. Neither would give in and I had no way to get at it because Alice was ignoring thinking about it and I could only hear a few words from Bella here and there.

Alice skipped off to help Jasper with the last of the boxes for the bedroom. The cottage was almost done now. All the construction work was finished and the furniture had been delivered on Friday night. It was all in place and all that needed doing now was the small garden at the front, the courtyard at the back, and a hundred or so boxes of books and things to be put away.

I was unpacking box after box of classic titles and stacking them side by side into the built in bookcases. Bella was going to love this room.

"The weather is going to be nice on Wednesday so you can organize to have the piano delivered then if you want. Bella will be busy anyway." Alice chirped irritatingly from the bedroom.

"What will she be busy with though? Maybe I want to be busy with her?" I poked my tongue at her and she replied in kind.

"She'll be busy with Rose, if you must know. They don't want you with them, so you can just order the piano delivery and shut up." She laughed.

"Fine. I fucking hate secrets Alice." I pouted but she wouldn't budge. "I have some secrets of my own you know?" I was fishing, Alice couldn't resist a good secret. She didn't let me down either, she came skipping up the hallway and flung herself at me.

"Spill." She growled playfully at me as I set her back on her feet.

"You first." I smirked.

"Sorry, I can't Edward. It's for Bella to tell you, not me." Her face went from playful to serious in an instant and I bristled. Something was amiss. "But you can tell me your secret." She smiled but it didn't really reach her eyes.

"I'll tell you but you have to promise me that everything is alright first. If it's not alright I'm going straight to the house, right now." I held her by her shoulders and searched her mind for what I wanted. She was busily running through wedding vows. She was blocking me.

"Everything is fine Edward, god you worry like an old woman. Now tell me what your big secret is before I burst."

"Fine. I believe you Alice." I looked her over from head to toe again and gave in. if it was something bad she'd tell me, I trusted her. "Renee is helping me with the honeymoon." I smirked again.

"Oh wow, where did you decide on? What will I need to buy for you? When are you leaving? Will Bella need to…"

"Calm down, jeez Alice, settle. I'm taking her to the island like I said I would. She knows nothing about it so no telling, right?" I waited till she nodded then went on, "I asked for Renee's help because Bella can read me now, almost completely, so I can't organize too many things myself or she'll find out." I grimaced. Being read was great, sometimes.

"You still at ninety-six then?" Alice asked and my eyes shot open so wide I thought they were going to burst. I tackled her round her middle and marched her out into the front yard of the cottage. I threw her into the grass and proceeded to tickle the life out of her.

**BPOV**

"I'm much better Ange, really. How goes it at school?" I asked into my cell phone. I just had to remember that I was supposed to still be living at Charlie's.

"Boring. Now that finals are nearly over everyone is on a go-slow. You aren't missing much although the gossip mill is working overtime now Edward is back at school." She giggled.

"Oh yeah, I bet it is. Alice told me about Jessica chucking a tantrum when Mike told her we were engaged but what else is going on?"

"I wish you'd seen the tantrum, too funny. Lauren is still insisting you're paying him. I heard that it was an arranged marriage, that your parents had organized it and that neither of you wanted to go through with it. Someone asked me that if I got an invite would I sell the photos to them. I have no idea what that was about but I laughed anyway." She giggled.

"Brilliant. Has nobody ever heard of true love? Sheesh. I'm sure we aren't the first couple to get married between junior and senior year."

"Nah, it will all die down once you're back at school. So you'll be back after the break yeah? I'm dying without you there, it's so boring, even Ben is bored out of his mind."

"Yeah, I should be back after the break. I'll be able to come see you in a few weeks, we'll hang out, I promise." I really missed Angela, she was a good friend. "I'm being called for dinner Ange, I'll talk to you tomorrow night yeah?" I lied smoothly.

"Sure. Hope you're better soon Bella. Bye." She hung up and I went downstairs to collect our laundry.

There wasn't much of it, there was however a lot of rags for the rubbish. I took our clothes out of the dryer and headed back up to our room. It wouldn't look like this for much longer I thought as I put the pile onto the bed and began folding it.

I nervous and excited in equal measure about tomorrow. Esme was taking me to a huge décor store in Port Angeles. It would be my very first expedition into the public world since my change. Everyone was sure I would cope very well but Esme and I had a plan just in case.

I heard Alice before I heard Edward as they came up the yard. Alice was taunting him about being read and he was calling her nasty names, in jest of course. I tried to keep my worries at the back of my mind and concentrate on Edward coming up the stairs. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my neck as he came into the room. "Mmm you smell so good. Like fresh laundry." He nuzzled me and I sighed as I leaned into him, the washing forgotten.

"How goes it at Charlie's?" I asked as he hugged me to him.

"Playing house, definitely." He chuckled.

"Yeah, Renee didn't deny it when I spoke to her either. I'm going to stop by there tomorrow, try again, you know?"

"You'll be great. You're going to Port Angeles with Esme tomorrow too right?" He asked. I stepped out of his arms and put the pile of washing onto the sofa, then sat on the end of the bed.

"Yep, big test. I talked to Angela just now too. It's so funny the rumors going around about us. Did you know that our marriage is an arranged one and neither of us want to go through with it?" I gigged.

"I hadn't heard that one. I've heard plenty of them though. Ridiculous children. Mike Newton had the temerity to come right up to my face and tell me to deny it, first thing this morning too. It took all my self control not to crush his putrid little skull in my hands." He clenched his fists at his side and I swooned.

"Oh my big tough boy, was the nasty douche bag mean to you today? Do you want me to come and sort him out tomorrow? Apparently I punch quite well." I giggled as he flung me back onto the bed with him.

"Hmmm, the idea of you coming to school with me is very, very appealing Isabella. You'd be able to protect me from the malicious children. I could hire you to be my bodyguard." He punctuated each word with a kiss up my throat.

"How much are we talking about Cullen?" I giggled.

"Name your price." He growled into my ear and I melted.

**EPOV**

Leaving her this morning was worse, if possible, than yesterday. I pleaded with Carlisle to think of something else, to figure some plan out so that I could stay with her. But he'd just pushed the responsibility angle and guilted me by using the Cullen name. I caved, I always caved when he pulled that shit.

I knew she was going off with Esme today and I wanted to be there to help or protect her or whatever she needed. Esme tried to reassure me, as did Bella but by the time we reached the school car park I was a mess.

"Oh Edward I know this is hard for you, but it's something you need to learn to do." Alice tried to placate me but it just made me mad.

"I don't want to learn to be without her Alice, fuck, sorry. I didn't mean to yell." I ran my hand through my hair and squeezed her tiny hand.

"It's okay, I know how you feel, really I do. Oh look, your fan club is here. I'll see you at lunch big brother." She squeezed my hand in return and ran off to catch up to the others. I'd bought the Aston to school today. I told myself it would be a good distraction to have it here and be able to talk with the other boys about it, but really it was so that I could get to Port Angeles in a hurry if Bella needed me.

As the boys came streaming down the hill towards me I latched onto their enthusiastic mental voices and tried to lose myself in their verve.

"Hey Edward." Seth strode towards me and stood beside me as I pointed out another of the amazing engineering aspects of the Aston to a boy from my Chemistry class.

"Hey Seth, how are you today?" I asked holding my fist out for him to bump. He looked at me wide eyed and then held his fist out. The smile that came across his face was fantastic. Such a simple gesture made his day, I was so pleased.

"This yours then?" He nodded toward the car and I smirked. "Wow, the girl and the car huh?" He laughed.

"Yeah, what can I say, I'm blessed." I chuckled. "Bella has a new car too, I've got another myself but I'll show you those this afternoon. You're coming home with us right?"

"Yeah, I cleared it with my mom and Sam said he will come and collect me himself. I just need to call him when I'm done." He seemed amazed at that and I clapped him on his back lightly like I'd seen the other boys do.

"Brilliant. I'll let Esme know, Bella is looking forward to seeing you too." I heard the first bell ring and I told the other boys I'd meet them there at the beginning of our study period and if they were nice to me I'd let them sit in the Aston.

**BPOV**

This morning was worse. Esme had to actually drag me into the living room after he left. I felt a right git for having chucked a tantrum in front of her, but in true Esme style she said she understood and held me while I sobbed.

"It'll get better sweetheart. I promise. You're doing so well it wont be long that you'll be going with them." She rubbed my back and I nodded into her shoulder.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry, it just hurts, you know?" she smiled and patted my arm.

"I know. So, lets get this show on the road shall we? Ten minutes for chores then off to the big smoke we go, right?"

"Right." We raced off to our respective rooms and I made the bed and put our clean clothes away, I'd thrown them onto the sofa last night and forgotten them. I gave our bathroom a quick clean and stowed the cleaning gear back into the linen cupboard in the hall.

I could hear Esme humming softly as she worked in hers and Carlisle's room downstairs. She had a lovely voice, soft and gentle. She sang so beautifully, which gave me an idea.

I looked around our room once more to make sure everything was where it was supposed to be then I grabbed my wallet and the digital camera card off the desk and went to find Esme.

I found her in the laundry room throwing armfuls of clothes into the dryer. "Hey" I said as I helped.

"All set?" She asked as she closed the door and set the timer.

"Yep. I'm nervous though." I grimaced at the thought of all the humans that would be in Port Angeles today.

"I know. But we will be quick and there usually aren't too many people at the décor store so it will be a good first attempt." She patted my arm and we went into the living room to close up. "I'd ask you to drive in your new car but it's too small to bring back what we'll buy. You want to drive mine?" She dangled her keys in front of me and I swiped them as I ran out the front door.

The Audi wasn't too much bigger than the Elise but it was at least put something other than a handbag in the trunk. It was fantastic to drive too, smooth like mine. I think I grinned the whole time we drove.

"I wanted to ask you something Esme, but please say no if you don't want to do it, okay?"

"Okay, should I be worried?" she laughed.

"Probably. I've been listening to you sing while doing your chores, you have such a lovely voice. Have you ever thought of singing professionally?"

She laughed a little and shook her head. "No, of course not."

"Would you sing for us at the wedding please?" I asked.

"Oh, I don't know. In front of people? I don't know if I could do that." She was lost in thought for a few minutes but I had a plan B in case she said she couldn't.

"Would you be able to do it if it was recorded before and just played at the wedding? You and I would know, the others might be able to pick it, but anyone else wouldn't know." I hedged.

"Hmmm, I think I could do that, yes. Are you sure?" She was smiling now.

"Oh yes, I'd love it if you'd sing for us at the wedding Esme, please?"

"Then yes, I'll do it, but only recorded."

"Thank you so much, mom." I'd not called her mom before and I noticed her stunned face as I did it. She beamed at me and put her hand to her heart. I did the same and smiled.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20 Seth's Little Issue

**EPOV**

"You're famous dude!" Emmett crowed as I took my seat between him and Jasper in Spanish.

"Fantastic." I mumbled.

"I didn't think you'd be pleased but Ed, this anger, aargh." Jasper winced as he soaked up my angry feelings.

"Bella's going to freak." I ran my hand through my hair and thought about her reaction.

"So don't tell her. She's not coming back here till after the holidays and by then nobody will care or remember." Emmett offered with a shrug.

"That would work except she can read me Em, I haven't had sixty years of practice keeping someone out of my head like you two twats have."

"Charming, you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Jasper laughed.

"Yeah, I do, she's your mother too dude, so next time you kiss her remember you're kissing me too!" I chuckled. That shut him up.

"Low blow Ed, low blow." But he laughed all the same.

The teacher came in and asked us to open our books and then read silently. Thank god. Peace, sort of. The mental voices were now calmer and most of them were concentrating on the Spanish text, some, however, were still concentrating on me.

Angela Weber had handed me a copy of the schools pathetic excuse for a newspaper – which I immediately corrected in my mind, as Angela herself was on the newspaper's staff, so not pathetic, just very 'high school' – into my hands. Angela was quick to tell me she'd had nothing to do with the actual story and she'd apologized for it despite it not being her fault. I'd cringed when I'd seen the front page but it had gotten worse, far, far worse when I opened it and read the feature article. It was the first, and only time I'd wager, that I was pleased Bella wasn't here.

The picture was of Bella and I the night of the school dance. It had been taken as we'd come through the archway across the steps to the gym. It was a nice picture and Bella looked stunning, but god, why did it have to be splashed across the front page of the newspaper with the headline "LIKE FATHER LIKE DAUGHTER?"

I'd quickly scanned the article that went with the picture and discovered that someone had likened mine and Bella's engagement as similar to that of her parents before her. They'd even managed to dig up a picture from Renee and Charlie's yearbook and another from their actual wedding.

Bella would have a fit if she saw this. I knew it was too late to have it stopped because everyone on the school grounds had one in their hands, most of them waved it at me as I'd walked to my first class.

The quotes were laughable though. Alice was quoted as having said that I was far too busy to come to school last week because I'd been off organizing a lavish wedding instead. Someone, of course, had assumed that Bella was pregnant and it was a shotgun wedding, Charlie would love that! Mike Newton was quoted as saying Bella had confided in him whilst making her decision and that he'd counseled her extensively on the merits of waiting until we were older. What a dick!

At least the quote about the date had been right, New Years Eve. Couldn't come fast enough for me, despite the rumor and innuendo it would cause.

I pulled out my cell phone and went to my message centre.

~Good luck today my beauty, I know you'll be fine. Miss you, love you E xx ~

I snuck my phone back into my pocket and settled in for an hour of badly pronounced Spanish and some well aimed but misfired accusations from the idiot children around me.

**BPOV**

We were parked outside the décor store and I was slowly letting the window down an inch at a time. We'd decided to try to acclimatize me to the scent before we got out of the car. We'd stopped halfway and hunted quickly before driving the rest of the way to the city. I felt okay, the burn was there but as had been the norm for the past few days I had the burn without the thirst. I'd not said anything to Esme and I hoped Carlisle hadn't either.

I had the window halfway down now and humans were walking by the car and going in and out of the décor centre and I think I was ready to at least try, so I nodded to Esme and we got out of the car.

There was plenty of cloud cover today so there was no fear that either of us would be detected for our skin tone but as we stepped towards the doors the scent hit my throat and burnt my nasal passages with such a ferocious jolt I skidded to a stop and fled back to the car. Esme was right beside me.

"It's okay sweetheart. We'll just sit here for a bit. Open the window and we'll try again." She rubbed my arm as we sat in the Audi.

I took a few shallow breaths of the air around me and I took a last breath and held it, then nodded to Esme and we tried again.

This went on two more times, me holding my breath then running back to the car to wait, before we managed to get inside the store. Once I was inside I found it wasn't any worse than it was outside and I relaxed a little. Esme took my hand and told me to squeeze it tightly if I felt my control wavering and she'd guide me outside. I took short shallow breaths and tried to stay away from humans in the aisles and soon I found I could manage fairly well. They still smelled delicious but if I concentrated on the relationships they had I could resist easily. There was a man with a little boy on his shoulders, obviously his dad. If I thought of him as a dad rather than my lunch I was fine. Same with the girl at the linen counter, Esme needed a few meters of fabric cut so I stood to the side and tried my best to ignore the delicious scent the girl gave off. She wore an engagement ring so someone special loved her and I knew that if I thought of her that way I'd be okay, and I was.

My cell phone beeped in my pocket and I grinned as I read Edward's message. How does he know what I need to hear and when?

~You always know just what to say. I'm doing okay, nearly done here. I miss you too, so very much, all love, Your B xx ~

Esme collected the fabric and smiled at me indulgently as she saw me hit send on my phone. "Need I ask?" She giggled.

"Nah, no point, is there" I giggled in return waiting for the blush that would never come.

"You've done so well, I can't wait for the others to hear, I'm so proud of you. Lets go and have your photos printed, shall we?" She asked and I nodded eagerly.

We went to the front counter and I paid for all our purchases, without even blinking or feeling guilty about it. We loaded it all into the trunk of the Audi and Esme drove us to an electrical store on the outskirts of town – she said there would be far less people there than at the bigger mall in the centre of town – and soon we were scrolling through the hundreds of shots I'd taken at the weekend.

I had already pressed 'print all' so a whole set of them would be ready in an hour but Esme and I were now taking our time scrolling through them to find four that would be either similar or could be made to look similar for the walls of our room. We chose two of the lake and had them blown up and printed in sepia tones.

I was embarrassed to show her the pair I wanted to have printed but she insisted they were amazing and pressed print before I could protest. I hoped Edward liked them.

We wandered through the store and chatted about the wedding and our room while we waited for our number to be called to collect the prints. Esme asked if I needed to hunt on the way back and I said I did, yes. I wasn't thirsty but the burn was getting worse and worse. I didn't know how to describe it to Esme so I didn't. I couldn't really describe it to Carlisle when we got back to the house either.

"You don't feel thirsty yourself but the burn is constant? Is that accurate?" He asked as he palpated my belly again.

"Yes, that's it. But there's something new today. This is going to sound nuts, like really crazy, but I hunted with Esme this morning on the way to the city and again on the way back and both times, once the animal was gone, I could hear a thumping noise. For about an hour afterwards, in my ears an in my head." I waited while he wrote this on his notebook and he asked me to lift my shirt so he could listen to my back and chest.

"I can't hear anything untoward, not that I should be able to hear anything at all really, only your full stomach. So I don't know what to tell you Bella. You seem perfectly fine physically so I'm inclined to think these are things that are related to your change, that they'll sort themselves out over time. None of your symptoms are harming, your thirst should be erratic and hard to fathom for you at this time so I think I'll continue to monitor you and we'll meet again tomorrow, alright?" He asked.

"Ok dad. Thank you. Sorry for dragging you home everyday."

"Never mind." I saw his smirk and grimaced. Right, I got it now. He'd come home for 'lunch' with Esme. Right. Got it.

"I think I'll go sort through my photos, see you tonight, dad." I emphasized the dad and he chuckled as I left.

I didn't wait to hear him run up the stairs to join Esme in their suite, I'd already put the earphones in my ears and turned my ipod to loud.

**EPOV**

"I swear to god and all that's holy if one more person asks me if Bella is pregnant I'm going home and never coming back." Alice hissed as she took the seat opposite me at lunch.

"I've been asked a few times myself. You've seen the paper I take it?" I asked her and she grimaced.

"If I thought I was going to be quoted I'd have made it a good one." She huffed.

"I'm really sorry Edward, I told them not to print that story but they wouldn't listen." Angela apologized for the hundredth time.

"I know it had nothing to do with you Angela. Don't worry about it. It will go away when there is someone or something better to gossip about." I shrugged.

"Politicians manufacture wars to distract the public from what they're doing, you up for a little public diversion Eddie?" Emmett smirked down the table at me.

"Don't fucking call me Eddie for a start, what did you have in mind Emmy-Bear?" I flipped him off.

"Nice. I'm trying to help you and you go all nasty on your brother, charming dude." He laughed but continued, "Come a bit closer," he waited until the whole table had moved forward and then he said, "Who's the biggest douche in the whole school?"

We all looked at each other and answered instantaneously, "Mike Newton." The table erupted in laughter and the whole cafeteria turned to look at us. Seth was laughing so hard his coke was dribbling out of his mouth onto his shirt. Ben was cackling like a chicken and Angela was clutching her sides.

Emmett leaned over to Jasper and they whispered for a few seconds before Jasper sat back up and said "Leave it with us."

I could hear in their heads what they were up to and I was about to say no, they couldn't do it when Rose shot me a look of pure loathing. "Don't you dare put the kybosh on this Edward, he's got this coming, and you know it." She said looking towards Seth and I nodded. I had given in far too easily, I knew that, but he did have it coming.

**BPOV**

I pushed the bags of linen to the side of the bed and propped the boxes with the lamps and things against the closet door. There were more boxes in the hall, they'd been delivered just now but wouldn't fit in the room as it was. On Friday the new furniture was being delivered and Esme and I would set the room up properly then. I couldn't wait to see it all finished and hoped that Edward would like what I chose.

I heard Carlisle's car roar to life and then heard Esme singing softly downstairs so I knew he'd gone back to work, randy bugger!

I decided to call Edward before he had to go back to class so I dialed and his velvet smooth voice answered on the second ring.

"My love." He crooned and I melted.

"Oh I miss you so much. How is your day today, any better?" I asked taking a seat on the sofa by the windows.

"Not likely. You aren't here, it will never be any good here without you Bella." I could hear the sadness in his voice.

"That's one more day closer to the end Edward, a week and a half and I'm all yours." I said, hoping to cheer him up.

"Indeed. Don't forget Seth is coming to see you this afternoon love. He's almost done with his own change now so don't be worried, he smells just as gross as his brothers do now." He chuckled and I heard someone protest, probably Seth himself.

"I haven't forgotten, I'm looking forward to seeing him. I did okay this morning, a few failed attempts but eventually Esme and I managed to shop."

"I'm so proud of you beautiful girl. I knew you could do it. I have to go, the bell is going to ring, I'll see you in a few short hours, I love you so much."

"I love you too Edward, see you soon." I closed my phone and sighed heavily. A few hours. Sheesh.

I went to find Esme and found her at the front door. "Delivery van coming up the drive, you might want to hold your breath dear." She smiled indulgently at me and I retreated to the kitchen and held my breath while she signed for the package.

When she came into the kitchen she placed the small brown paper wrapped box on the counter and nodded at me.

"It's for me?" I asked and she nodded again. I reached for it and shook it, it was hollow, whatever it was. I sniffed – yes I know, sniffing it is weird but it smelled strange – it smelled of timber. That sweet smell like sawn logs. I pulled the brown paper off as fast as I could, my excitement building. For all I knew it could've been something I ordered online the other day and it was for our room, but for some reason I didn't thinks so. As the brown paper tore a small lilac envelope fell out of the package and I knew instantly it was from Edward. I tore the envelope open and pulled out a half page and read it out loud to Esme.

"My darling Isabella, There are so many things I want to give to you, you have my heart and now you hold it in your hands. I want you to hold onto this box and keep it with you as I fill it with mementos of our life together. I'd like to start with the small token of my adoration for you that you'll find inside the box. 32 days my Bella, All my love to you, forever, Edward."

"Oh that's so lovely Bella. What's in the box, do you know?"

I shook my head, no. I took the box out of the wrapping fully and looked it over. It was probably half the size of a shoebox and it was covered in filigree leaves, carved intricately into the grain of the wood. It smelled like mahogany, like the dining room table – I shuddered as the memory of lying on that table crept over me – I ran my fingers over the leaves and committed their feel to memory. I put the paper on the counter with the card and opened the box. The inside of it was just as beautiful as the outside. It was lined with pale blue silk and had a row of indentations where rings could stand and three smaller compartments where chains and earrings could be stored. It was empty though, so I began to wonder about Edward's note.

I looked to Esme and she smiled at me indulgently, "Take the top tray out dear." She pointed to the small folded ribbon at the back of the top tray and I pulled it. The tray came away and underneath was another compartment, this one was just an empty space but in it sat a small flat velvet box with a ribbon around it. I put the wooden box back on the counter and took out the velvet one.

I looked to Esme again and she was grinning from ear to ear and hopping from foot to foot in excitement. I undid the ribbon and let it fall and then I prized open the box and gasped. It held a bracelet, but not just any bracelet. This was an inch thick gold with large round links. On the last link was a copy of my locket as the clasp. I ran my fingers over the engraving and smiled lovingly. It was very beautiful. At the other end of the chain was a heart shaped diamond hanging from a small round gold hoop. "This must be what the note meant, he's given me his heart, look." I held the bracelet out for Esme and she sighed.

"That's so sweet, he really is very romantic isn't he?" She swept her hand under the bracelet and cupped her fingers around the heart. "It's lovely, here, let me help you put it on." She turned it over and I held my wrist steady while she did it up. It now sat next to my Cullen crest and I rolled it round and round my wrist.

I pulled out my phone and checked the time, he'd be in class now, so I sent a text rather than call him.

~I have your heart and you have mine. It's beautiful, thank you so much. I love you, B xx~

"Shall we head off to your mothers now Bella? We'll want to be back in time for Seth to visit." Esme asked me as I closed my phone.

"Sure, I'll drive, I'd like to introduce you to Elise properly." I smirked and Esme rolled her eyes.

**EPOV**

I was busy trying to block Mike-the-douche bag out of my head as I sat in my Math class. I had shredded two sheets of paper and snapped three pencils in the time I'd had to listen to his internal meanderings.

"_If I start a sweepstake I think I can get good odds on how long the marriage will last." _He thought as he began to calculate the pittance in his bank account and how much he'd be willing to wager, if he could find anyone to take his ridiculous bet that is.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and when I saw the ID I instantly felt calmer. Bella.

Obviously my gift had arrived today and she loved it. I was so glad. It would've made it hard to fulfill the rest of my intentions had she not liked the bracelet. I had already chosen, and arranged for delivery everyday from now until the wedding, 32 charms for each of the links of the bracelet. Emmett had delivered the 32 envelopes and cards to the jeweler last week on his way home from school so it was all set. If she hadn't liked today's delivery the rest would be for naught. I sighed in relief as I reread her text.

I opened my message centre and replied.

~I'm so happy you like it, I can't wait to fill each link. I'm dying to see you, I miss you so very much. All love, E xx~

"_He's probably texting her, schmuck. Angela Weber said the ring was huge, figures, flashing his money around. He's such a prick, look at him, stupid sex hair twat." _Mike was seething but I was much, much closer to losing my temper than was comfortable.

I excused myself from the class citing a headache and went to wait in the car until the class was over. With the loud music I was able to drown out most of the innocuous noise around me and I closed my eyes and daydreamed the rest of the hour away.

**BPOV**

"Hey mom." I stood at the foot of the stairs with Esme, Renee sat on the top step smiling widely.

"Oh Bella, you look so beautiful today. How are you feeling?"

"I'm great." I sucked in another gulp of air and closed my eyes against the fire raging in my throat. I'd need to hunt _again_ on the way home despite having hunted twice today already.

"Show your mother what arrived just now Bella." Esme said softly, patting my arm in encouragement.

I held my wrist out and used my other hand to turn the bracelet round and round so Renee could see it.

"It's gorgeous. Obviously from Edward?" she asked and I nodded, trying to hold my breath. "You must be so proud of him Esme?" Renee asked.

"I am. He's always been a lovely man, but now that he has Bella…"She trailed off and I could see the love and devotion on her face.

"What is your bangle there Bella? I've not seen that before, have I? Is that from Edward too?"

I shook my head. I looked to Esme who crinkled her eyes in understanding. I'd not be able to explain it all, it would be too much to stand here that long, so I began and hoped Esme understood that she'd need to finish. "No, it's from Carlisle. It's a Cullen crest. We all have them. Sorry mom. I love you." I gasped and fled back to the Elise. I listened while Esme explained at the crest. Renee was both impressed and touched at the sentiment behind my jewellery. Esme showed her the bracelet she wore and they stood for a few minutes talking idly about the significance of Esme's own jewellery. Soon Esme was telling Renee that I had gone so well this morning during our shopping trip and that she was sure I'd be talking to her again tonight at the usual time. Renee waved to me and I returned her wave and Esme returned to the car and we headed home.

"Your mom is so proud of you dear, you did so well just now. How do you feel?" She asked.

"Thirsty" I laughed.

"Then lets hunt Bella." She patted my hand.

**EPOV**

Seth came running down the hill with the others towards the parking lot. I held out my fist and he bumped it proudly and soon we were all piled into the two cars and heading for home. Seth rode with me and Jasper while Alice, Emmett and Rose went in the Porsche.

"Those guys sure do love their cars huh?" Seth asked me, referring to the crowd of boys that had been circling the Aston when he'd arrived after class.

"Yeah, I'm taking the Guardian Thursday and I might take the Veyron on Friday, show them what a real car looks like." I smirked.

"Sam loves his cars too. You'll have to show him the Veyron, he'll shit himself just to be able to stand near it." Seth laughed.

"He runs that garage, right?" Jasper asked Seth.

"Yeah, it was his dads but he died about three years ago, so he and Embry run it now."

"We stopped there on our way out of town a couple weeks ago." Jasper said and I heard Seth run through his reply in his head before he spoke. Poor kid was really struggling with his feelings over his part in the 'war'.

"Sam told Jacob about that, that you were all on bikes and heading out of town at least for the day. Sorry." He hung his head and I felt so bad for him.

"Nothing to be sorry for Seth, it wasn't your fault or your doing. Let it go son." I put my hand on his shoulder and felt him relax. He gulped and nodded in my direction and then he began to fidget as the house came into view. He was excited to see both Bella and Esme again.

I swung the car so it came to a stop at the foot of the stairs and leapt out and ran the three steps in what felt like one stride. I flung the door open and took Bella straight into my arms. She was again waiting for me at the foot of the internal stairs but we'd not be able to sneak away today, not with a guest anyway. I sighed into her mouth and told her I loved her before unwrapping her from my body and presenting her to Seth.

**BPOV**

Edward still kept an arm around my waist and I could feel him trembling slightly as he turned back to the front door so I could say hello to Seth.

"Hey Seth, you're looking good." I smiled.

"Hey Bella. You too." He grinned and I stepped forward and tugged him into a tight hug. He was nervous, I could feel that, but he soon relaxed in my arms and let himself hug me back. He smelled horrible to me now, but he'd always be special so I could put that aside for now.

I broke the hug and stood back, with my hands on his shoulders, and studied the changes in him even since last Friday.

"Wow, you're growing so fast. You're nearly done?" I asked and he nodded proudly. "You're gonna be a lady killer, that's for sure." He grinned again.

"Yeah, well, I'm the only kid in the eighth grade who's got a date for the year ten prom." He smirked.

"Dude, that's killer." Emmett bumped his fist on the way through to the living room.

Rose and Alice conned Jasper into going with them to the cottage for a bit, which made me so jealous I could taste it, but Emmett decided he wanted to stay in the house because a ball game he'd not seen was about to start. Esme soon called Seth to the kitchen for a snack and we left him to it for a few moments.

Edward pulled me into the laundry room and pushed me back against the dryers and kissed me deeply.

'_Show me your tattoo Bella.' _Edward thought and I tugged my collar across so he could trace the raised inky black lettering with his tongue. _'The minute Sam collects Seth we're out of here, be ready.' _He thought and I felt my knees buckle with desire.

"Edward, come on, we can't do this here. Let's go and play nice for Seth and then later," I shivered at the thought of Edward and I alone in the forest, later.

'_Mmm, in the forest, yes please.' _He replied, obviously having just read my desirous expression perfectly. "Fine, I'll play nice for now." He huffed.

He patted me on the ass as I went out into the kitchen first. "Dirty, dirty boy." I giggled.

'_You have no idea Isabella.'_ He thought as he took a seat next to Seth at the counter.

Holy shit he's so hot. He has no idea what he does to me when he talks like that!

'_I'm learning Isabella.'_ Oh. My. God!

**EPOV**

It was so exciting, to think we'd have this special connection that nobody else could hear or have. She really was destined for me and me alone, I was more and more sure of it everyday. It was still only clear to me, her voice, when we made love, but I was getting better at reading her facial expressions and her desires without the physical connection we seemed to need for me to hear her mental voice. I never gave up hope, though.

Bella stood beside me and I reached for her hand and caressed her palm as she caught up with Seth. They talked about what was happening at the Rez, who was dating whom and about Charlie and Seth's dad going fishing all the time. When Seth mentioned the school newspaper I cringed. Bella flashed me a look that could only be described as 'cringe making' and I grimaced at how angry she was going to be.

"I don't suppose anyone has a copy of this newspaper, do they?" she spat through gritted teeth. Seth pulled the crumpled pages from his back pocket and handed them to Bella, mouthing 'sorry' to me as he did. I shrugged and tried to act like it wasn't a big deal.

This was one time I was glad I couldn't read Bella all the time. I watched her face as she read the story and looked over the pictures. I couldn't get a gauge on how badly she'd react so I prepared myself to pull Seth out of the way should she lose her temper. Instead she put the paper back on the counter, threw her head back and laughed, loudly.

"Oh that's too funny. Look at Charlie! Bell bottoms, oh please. Get a load of my mom's hair! You look gorgeous in that suit though Edward, god, that's so funny. Hey why aren't you lot laughing?" Suddenly her face dropped and I realized we'd all been gaping at her.

I looked to Seth and he burst out laughing at the same time I did. I pulled Bella closer to me and hugged her round her waist as I laughed against her warm skin.

"Hey Em, did you see this?" Bella called to Emmett who was still perched on the end of the sofa.

"Yeah, but don't worry, we've got Mike covered. You in Seth?" He called and Seth said of course he was.

"What are you lot planning?" Bella admonished.

"I hope you boys will behave appropriately." Esme scowled at both Seth and I as she read the last of the article. "I take it you didn't seek this Mike persons advice Bella?" She giggled as Bella shook her head violently while mimicking gagging sounds. "I didn't think so. Edward, is this the boy Alice saw you dangling by his ankles a few months ago?" Esme squinted at me disapprovingly when I shrugged.

"Edward!" Bella swatted at me with her open hand and I ducked out of the embrace and went to stand on the other side of Seth.

"What do you think Seth? He was asking for it, right?" I held up my fist and Seth bumped it.

"Oh yeah, he's a giant douche." Seth said and I instantly saw a flash of what Alice had shown me yesterday. It was Seth on the football field being pummeled, just as Alice had seen. Only this time the image was much clearer, being able to see it through Seth's eyes, and I could clearly make out Mike Newton as one of the boys who were hurting Seth.

"Seth, come check out my new car." I said and he nodded eagerly. I kissed Bella lightly on the lips and made sure to tell her that I needed a moment alone with Seth, she gave me an imperceptive nod and stayed inside with Esme while I led Seth out to the garage.

He waited by the door as I backed the Veyron out and then we walked around it taking in its beauty. He was thinking only about the car now but I knew he was, and had been, worried about Mike and his buffoon of a friend.

"It's awesome Edward. Sam is going to go nuts when he sees this. How fast have you had it so far?" He asked.

"One sixty-six and I've got the ticket from Charlie Swan to prove it!" I laughed as he gaped at me.

"Are you serious? Chief Swan clocked you at one sixty-six and you're still walking?" He laughed and I nodded.

"I'm taking him out in it on the weekend, he's going to drive it actually." I went to the driver's side and got in and called for Seth to get in too. Once he was seated I turned the car back on and let it idle as we sat and stared at the beautiful interior. "Seth you have to tell me what's going on with the bullies? I know one of them is Newton, I don't know the other boy, will you tell me please?"

He immediately began to get self-conscious and he felt stupid and childish for being scared of Mike. I hated that he was being bullied. "He hangs shit on me because I'm the only native kid at the school. The other dick hates me because of a girl. I'm too scared to fight back because I could hurt him, like really hurt him."

"I totally understand. And this is all new for you, this strength you have, so I know you are worried about hurting other people. Bella is going through that now too, you're very similar you two." I said wistfully. "I'd like to help you with the Mike problem but I think it would be better if you did this for yourself. But I'll make you a deal, okay?" I waited until he nodded and then I began again, "Tomorrow morning I want you to find Mike and tell him that you don't want to hurt him but that you will if he bothers you again, okay. I'm not going to school tomorrow, nice weather, but I want you to tell him you won't stand for it anymore, I want you to warn him that you'll hurt him if he continues. We both know he'll ignore the threat, but it's the right thing to do, to at least warn him. Then, if he bothers you again then we'll have a bit of a practice on how to hit him without killing him. Rocky Swan inside will help I'm sure." I laughed as Seth sat wide-eyed in the car.

"You want to help me with Mike? Why Edward?" he was genuinely intrigued as to why I'd want to help him.

"Because you are my friend Seth. But not just that, you're family now. You protected Bella when I couldn't, I'll owe you for all eternity son. Besides, Mike is basically dumb as dog shit and I know he'll ignore your warning and I want in when you beat him to a pulp." He raised his fist and bumped mine, he didn't even wait for me to initiate it and I laughed loudly.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

**BPOV**

"You're looking well Bella, it's nice to see you Esme." Sam bowed his head and greeted us both as we stood on the front stairs. I could tell he was eager to join Emmett, Edward and Seth with the Veyron so I stepped down into the drive and led the way to the others.

"I am well, thanks Sam. And you?" I asked.

"Yes, thank you. Seth tells me you and Edward are getting married on New Years Eve, congratulations."

"Thanks Sam, keep an eye out for your invitation, wont you?" I grinned. "Edward, Sam's here to collect Seth." I went to his side and tucked myself into his arm.

"Hey Edward, Emmett." Sam nodded at them but never really took his eyes off the car. "Veyron? Unbelievable." He muttered and Edward stood straighter and I heard his pride in his mental thoughts as he showed Sam over the car.

I went back to stand with Esme and we watched the boys drool over the machine. It was pretty, of course, and the way Edward looked in it was nothing short of mind boggling, but it was just a car.

'_I'm going to have you in this car at some point Isabella.'_ I heard from Edward and I sucked in a huge gulp of air in shock.

Esme was giggling at Emmett's antics. He was trying desperately to get Edward to let him sit in the drivers seat by tugging Edward's arm but to no avail.

Seth came to stand beside me and all of a sudden I felt queasy, a sort of fluttery feeling in my stomach. I wrapped an arm across my belly and tried to hold myself together. I looked down at Seth and he was staring up at me with wide eyes, adoring wide eyes, which was strange. He said nothing and he made no move to be closer to me, but he stood right beside me watching my face. I could feel my burn amplify as we stood and I moved my eyes back to the car in time to see Edward stalk towards us and put himself between Seth and me, rather rudely I thought.

I looked to Edward hoping he would tell me what the problem was, but he stood staring between Seth and I and said nothing. He was cursing Seth in his mind and I felt distinctly uncomfortable. Edward was obviously jealous of Seth's proximity to me but it was odd for him to behave this way physically, normally his mental thoughts were the only sign of his turmoil.

I reached for his hand and squeezed it and felt the same fluttery, queasy feeling settle over me. "I need to hunt Edward." I whispered into his shoulder.

'_I do too Bella.' _Even his mental voice was sharp and caustic. "Sam, Bella needs to hunt, Seth I'll see you at school tomorrow, remember what I said yes?"

And with that he grabbed my hand and all but dragged me across the driveway and through the thicket of trees across the road.

**EPOV**

Seth Clearwater had gone to stand next to Bella and had spent the next ten minutes cataloging her beauty. While I was there!

What the fuck was that about?

Bella's reaction was equally strange, she'd wrapped an arm around herself and an odd pained expression clouded her face as she watched Seth staring.

I dragged Bella into the forest and only stopped running when I felt and smelt the small herd of deer half a mile ahead. I told her they were there, kissed her lightly on her temple and took off due north to find something for myself.

A few minutes later I tore at the flesh of an elk and drank from it furiously. I was so angry I ripped its neck open and drank straight from its pulsing jugular. I hardly stopped to think about what I was doing, I just drank and then threw the body away in disgust. I wiped my hand and spat out the piece of fur that clung to my lip. Fucking disgusting, that's what I am. A jealous emotional wreck. I sat for a moment on the cool grass and ran a hand through my hair. I had grit my teeth and put up with my brothers touching her, I could almost handle the salacious thoughts of other men and boys, almost. What I couldn't handle was the way Seth Clearwater had looked at her. Like she was the centre of his universe.

I pulled off my bloodstained jersey and flung it into the base of a tree. I straightened my t-shirt and ran back towards where I'd left Bella. It had been a very, very long time since I'd had such a slovenly kill, not since I was a newborn myself probably.

I saw her perched on a rock under a dogwood tree looking as lovely as ever. No stained clothing and self-loathing for her today. I walked the last few paces between us and leaned over and hung my head on her shoulder soberly.

"Edward, what is it love?" She whispered against my neck as her arms came to fold around me.

"Bella I can't handle much more of this. They all want you, how will I ever hold you?" I whimpered against her throat.

"What are you talking about Edward? I'm yours, all yours." She held me tighter and drew me between her knees. I kissed my way up her throat and into her hair and held her to me.

"Did you not see the way Seth was staring at you just now? And every single boy at that god-forsaken school had you on their mind all day. Even my own brothers touch and kiss you. I can't be away from you, ever." I was desperately seeking reassurance, I felt so inept. So undeserving. Why couldn't the hard part be just getting her to choose me? "This is worse than when you were human and I craved you. This hurts Bella. I can't be away from you, ever.' I told her mentally as I slumped against her.

**BPOV**

I had no idea what he was rambling about. One minute we were standing in the yard and the boys were swooning over his car the next we were in the deep forest and he was all but crying against my shoulder about how everyone wants me. Now he was berating himself in his head about being undeserving. So I tried again.

"Edward, look at me, please." I pulled him away from me and held him at arms length. His face was etched in pain and his mental voice was in turmoil. "Please Edward, calm down. I'm here. Tell me what's wrong." I ran my hands through his hair and felt him relax a little.

He turned around and slid down the rock and sat on the ground between my knees. I put my hands back into his hair and ran my fingers through his messy locks. He took a deep breath and was trying to calm himself through my touch.

"I've spent two entire days listening to boys who think I don't deserve you, that us being married is a mistake. That stupid newspaper story just fuelled an already out of control fire and now I've got to contend with rumors about you being pregnant or you repeating your fathers mistake. Did you really not see the change in Seth's demeanor just now?" He leaned back and tipped his face up so that I could see him.

"I was a bit weirded out when he came to stand by me, I mean, he didn't say anything or appear to want anything did he? He just stood there staring, so that was a bit strange but why would that make you uncomfortable? What was he thinking?" I asked.

"Not too much of anything really and nothing disrespectful. He was thinking you smelled good, that you looked good, better. It was like he was compelled to stand there Bella, not just because he wanted to be near you, more like he felt that he _should_ be near you. I know that feeling Bella, I know it well."

I couldn't avoid the hiss I made with my lips and teeth when he said that word. "I'm sure you're wrong Edward. He's just very protective of me. We went through a lot that day, I like being near to him too you know. Besides, it sounds like he's dating an older girl from school anyway. I'm sure you're just reading things wrong love. It doesn't matter anyway, I'm yours, and you're mine. Nothing and nobody will ever come between us. That includes idiot boys at school." I ran my hand down his jaw and felt him kiss my palm as I came closer to his mouth. "Edward, look…" I put my hands in front of him and turned them over so all my jewellery could be seen. "I'm yours in almost everyway and as you said yourself today, in only 32 days that last way will be yours too. I wear your rings, look at them Edward, and I wear your locket and I wear your bracelet. If that wasn't enough I wear this crest too, I'm yours Edward. Nobody can take me from you if I don't want to go."

I stood and made my way around so I was kneeling between his knees, I put one hand on his chest and used my fingers to tilt his face to mine. I kissed him softly on his lips and then used my free hand to pull across my t-shirt. "That's your name there Edward," I said nodding towards my tattoo, "I'm yours, always. Are you mine?" I whispered and watched his eyes darken.

He reached over and took both my cheeks between his palms and pulled my mouth to his. '_Mine' _he told me as his warm tongue licked my bottom lip.

**EPOV**

She was right of course, she usually was. Nobody could take her from me if she didn't want to go. I would have to make sure to never give her any reason to want to go, simple. Ha!

"You seem to have lost your jersey Edward." She whispered against my lips.

'I did' I thought, knowing she was listening. 'I'd have made more of an effort to lose my pants if I'd known we were going to be sitting here like this.'

"Lose your pants Edward_."_ She cried out abruptly.

I stood and bought her up with me, against my chest. Then I turned her and put her back against the rock then I tugged my jeans down over my knees and let them fall to the ground at the base of the rock. I pulled my t-shirt over my head and flung it towards my pants.

I stood before her totally naked and totally in love with this beautiful creature. "I love you Bella." I whispered against her lips as she folded her arms around my neck and pulled my mouth to hers.

"Only you Edward, only ever you_." _She answered.

'Bring on summer' I thought idly.

"Why summer Edward_?"_ Bella asked as she slipped out of her jersey exposing her flesh and her tattoo to me.

As I bent my lips to suck the raised flesh of my name I told her that I was looking forward to summer because she'd be able to wear skirts. She giggled at the thought and I nuzzled her neck and nipped at her ear lobe in response to the most beautiful sound in my world.

"I don't feel the cold Edward, I could wear skirts now you know, you only have to ask." She said out loud.

"I'm asking." I growled as she let her jeans slide down her thighs to her ankles.

I raked my hands up her thighs and palmed her as she writhed and squirmed under my touch. "But only for me, no skirts outside the house."

"Silly boy." She growled as she took my ear lobe into her mouth again. She slid her hand down between us and cupped me fully. The same ever present tingle made me shiver at her touch and I pushed up against her unashamedly.

I pulled her to the ground with me and bought her to straddle my hips. I pushed up once and was inside her instantly. I let go a deep, satisfied groan as she sheathed me completely. 'So beautiful…mine…all mine…' I thought as she began to rock.

"_So good…so, so good…I love you, I love you, only you…" _she chanted as she rode me.

I felt the first tug of my release in my groin so I pressed my hips up to meet her as she plunged her hot body down onto me, increasing the depth and friction for us both. She was bucking against me wildly, her breasts bobbing with each stroke. I let my fingertips graze the peaked bud of her right nipple as I pulled her to me with my free hand on her hip. 'I'm so close baby…so good…so beautiful up there…' I told her as she threw her head back and climaxed on top of me. Her cry signaled my own undoing and I held her still above me as I spilled into her.

Bella collapsed down onto my chest and I stroked her back and shoulders as she calmed her breathing and sighed contentedly. I kissed her temple and told her again and again how much I loved her as we lay on the forest floor.

I rolled us to the side and put my arm underneath her to cradle her head in my palm. I kissed her swollen lips and murmured "Your mother will be waiting for you online Bella, we should head home love." I whispered.

I didn't want to go back to the house, I wanted to be here, with her, for as long as possible. Just us. Alone. I didn't want to have to keep sharing her, not even with my own family and neither with hers. I was being childish and selfish, I knew that, but I didn't much care right now as she lay in my arms.

"I want to be alone with you too Edward, our days are shared, I hate it too." She pouted against my shoulder. There always seemed to be one more thing to do, one more person to speak with, one more responsibility. Thirty-two days Bella, then we'll get away for a bit.

"Will we get away after the wedding then Edward?" she asked and I realized I'd been read again. Christ.

"Yes Bella, but please don't ask me anything more, I've got it all in hand, I don't want to spoil the surprise by being read, please darling, let me surprise you with this?" I asked.

"Okay Edward. I'd like that, to be away with you all to myself for a bit." She stood and began to dress. I reluctantly did the same. She took my hand and we ran back to the house, the long way round so we could prolong being together, alone, just for a little while longer.

"She's online with her dad Jaz." I answered when Jasper called from the bedroom of the cottage. All the renovations were done now so we weren't here to work now, we were here to try on suits for the wedding.

"Stand still Edward. I don't want to stab you with this pin but I will." She growled between her teeth as she spat the spare pins onto the table.

Everything Alice needed to hide from Bella regarding the wedding was here in the cottage. "What is all this for Alice?" I asked as she pinned my trousers for the third time. She was never happy this woman, ever.

"That box there is thank you cards for after the wedding. Those ones have the wedding favors in them and that one over there, by the fireplace, that's stuff for Bella's trousseau."

"What is a trousseau?" Emmett asked as he tugged the tie off over his head and threw it in the pile with Carlisle's and mine. Jasper came out of the bedroom and I stifled a laugh. His trousers were easily two feet too long and his shirtsleeves half a foot too short.

"Laugh it up Eddie, I might look lame but it's your wedding photos I'll be starring in." He laughed as he came to stand beside me so Alice could pin his pants.

I went through to what was going to be my new bedroom and changed back into my jeans, being careful to not dislodge any of the pins Alice had just put in them. I didn't want to have to go through that again in a hurry.

I folded the pants up carefully and took them back to Alice in the dining room. I laid them on top of where Carlisle had put his and went to join him in the living room. He was running his hand over my book collection fondly, he was thinking about how nice it would be to have a little hideaway like this for him and Esme. I cringed when I saw in his mind why he'd like to have one, but went to stand by him anyway.

"_You have quite a collection here. I'd say you were both going to enjoy spending time reading them but I doubt you'll pick up a volume in the first decade." _He chuckled lightly at the end of his statement and I couldn't help but join in.

"I won't bother to deny it." I laughed. "Esme says she did remarkably well today shopping and again with her mother this afternoon." I tried to change the subject.

"It's remarkable." He mused. He immediately began reading off the spines of the books and I wondered if he was blocking some errant thought from me. I shrugged it off and took the opportunity to wander through the now finished rooms.

**BPOV**

"Ok mom, I'd like that." I'd just agreed to go to my parent's house – it wasn't just Charlie's house anymore – after dinner on Thursday night for a visit when I thought of an idea that might interest Renee. "Are you doing anything in particular on Friday?" I asked.

"Nope. Just hanging around waiting for your father to get home from work." She answered.

"Um, I know you said you wanted to find a dress and Esme and I are going to the city again, Esme wants to look at a dress too, would you like to come?"

"Oh baby I'd love to. Thank you for inviting me. Which reminds me, did you know that Edward invited your dad to go driving with him on Saturday?" She was smiling widely so I knew she was happy about that, them spending some time together.

"No, he hasn't mentioned it yet. Us girls are going to be doing something or other for the wedding in the afternoon, would you like to come help? I don't really know what it is they were planning on doing, but I'd like you to be here, if you want to be?" I asked carefully. I wasn't too sure how my mom was coping with all this and I didn't want to force too much on her at once.

When I saw her start bouncing in her seat I knew she was coping fine.

"Will you be okay with me there, at the Cullen house, though?" She was worried, I could see it in her eyes.

"I'll do my best mom. I can always duck out um, for a bit, if it gets too much. And the other girls will be there, and Emmett and Jaz too probably, so there's no need for you to worry."

"Then I'd love to. Wow, we went from thinking we'd not see you for an entire year, or more, to seeing you twice already and now making plans to see you three more times this week at least. I'm so proud of you baby."

"Thanks mom. It's getting easier every day. Esme and I went to Port Angeles today and I got some portraits blown up that I took on the weekend away. And we went to that massive décor store, you know the one on Canal Street?" I asked.

"Sure, I know the one. Is the cottage finished now then?" She asked and I wondered how she knew about that, but I guessed that Edward would've told them by now. He went there almost everyday to see them both, I loved that he did that.

"I think it's finished yeah. I'm not allowed to see it though, not till after the wedding. We went to the store today for things for our rooms here mom." I clarified.

"Oh, right. Will you still keep rooms there then, after you're married?"

"Yeah. Edward doesn't think I'll want to be apart from the family all the time, he said he went it alone, they all did at various times I think, but that they all gravitate back to the main house eventually. I can't see it myself…" I trailed off before I had a chance to curb what I'd said.

Renee started giggling. "Oh baby, it's so sweet to watch you so in love. Will your room be fancy then?"

"Not really, no. Just modern and sort of different from what it is now. Did you see it before, when you were here?"

"No, Phil and I stayed in the guest suite downstairs, I think your dad stayed in Edward's room though. He told me it was strange waking up in the room when he realized it was Edward's and that you'd shared it with him, before, you know?" She cringed a little when she said it.

"Yeah, I guess that would've been weird for him. Mom, I hear the others coming back from the cottage. I'll talk to you again tomorrow yeah?" I began to fidget in my seat at the thought of Edward being home again and Renee started giggling again.

"Okay Bell's, I'll talk to you tomorrow. Say hi to everyone for me. Love you."

"Love you too mom, bye." I closed the chat app and shut the lid of the laptop.

I heard him say a quick hello to Esme and then he was there, at the door to our room, smiling at me with his beautiful angels face lit up like I was the answer to the sixty-four thousand dollar question.

I went to him and kissed him soundly, "I need to go and have a quick word with Rose. Alice said tomorrow will be sunny so we can sleep in." I patted him on his butt as I left the room.

"_You'll be in bed but you won't be sleeping Isabella."_ He thought.

Neither will you, Edward.

**EPOV**

While Bella went off to see Rose, for what I had no idea and no inclination to listen, I went in search of Esme. I found her in her loft checking details on the piano's placement for tomorrow. Our bed still hadn't been delivered and there were a few special items Esme was still waiting on.

"Hello dear, how is she this evening?" Esme asked me as I came to sit by her drafting table.

"Perfect." I smirked and Esme smiled indulgently down at me. "Did you know we missed Thanksgiving while she, um…" I couldn't bring myself to say the word burn but couldn't for the life of me think of any other way to describe it. "We missed Thanksgiving because Bella was in the throes of her change." I said simply.

"Yes dear, I know. It's okay, we were all a little distracted, we'll make a big deal out of Christmas instead."

"Did Bella really do as well as you said, at the store?" I asked, an idea forming.

"Oh yes, a little bit hesitant at first and a couple of false starts but she seemed to come to terms with the scents around her and then she was fine. We spent more than an hour in that store and then a couple of hours in another while we waited for photos to be printed, she was fine Edward. We hunted a little on the way there and on the way back, but other than that she was perfect." Esme was grinning, obviously proud of her.

"Renee invited Bella and I over after their dinner on Thursday night for a visit. I was wondering, while Bella was off with Rose tomorrow and the rest of us were busy at the cottage with the last of these deliveries would you ask Renee if she would mind if we turned tomorrow night into a belated Thanksgiving?"

"That's a lovely idea Edward! We don't need to wait till tomorrow to organize it though, I'll text Renee and ask now." She pulled her cell phone from her pocket and began flicking keys. I looked on in silent shock.

Esme texting? Esme texting Renee? "Close your mouth dear, you'll catch flies." She giggled.

I waited for Bella in our room. I took a quick sneaky peak into a couple of the boxes by the closet but tried my best to not snoop too much, I was looking forward to the surprise. I could still hear Rose and Bella whispering on the first floor so I grabbed my ipod and opened the laptop.

I was soon chuckling away at the dent in my credit card. Bella had taken to shopping rather well. I busied myself shuffling some cash around and was just checking on the online tracking site for my new piano delivery when I heard Jasper and Emmett coming back across the river laughing their heads off.

I closed the laptop and went to the double glass doors at the far end of my room and called to them both to come share their joke with me.

One at a time they landed softly on the carpeting in my room as they flung themselves from the trees to inside.

"What gives?" I asked.

"We've just left a little present for the Douchebag. We aren't going to school tomorrow so there's no way it can be tied to us." Jaz said as he high fived Emmett. I could see in their minds what they'd done and I rolled my eyes.

"Oh come on Eddie, it's funny, laugh a little." Emmett crowed.

"I didn't say it wasn't going to be funny and don't call me Eddie fuckwad." I moved towards him in a false playful crouch.

"Does Eddie want to play then?" Emmett teased.

"No, but Edward does you retard." I yelled at Emmett as I crash tackled him and we fell out the open doors onto the lawn below.

I could hear Esme tell us not to play fight in the house but we were already running towards the river before she realized we'd gone outside. Jasper stood in the open doorway telling us to grow up, but I could tell he wanted in on it so I called him to come fight the winner and he was soon refereeing our bout.

**BPOV**

"Are you sure Bell's?" Rose was grinning so I knew she liked the idea.

"Yep. What do you think? Can you teach me?" I asked.

"Of course I can, I can teach anyone. Even you." She laughed and I knew it was a reference to my previous clumsiness.

"So tomorrow, I know Edward and Esme are going to the cottage, but we could hang back and do it then?"

"Sure, come find me when you two drag your asses out of bed." She winked.

"Will do. Thanks Rose." I went to leave but she called me back. "What's up?" I asked coming back into the centre of the room.

"Esme told me that you asked her to sing for the wedding. I figured you weren't going to advertise it though, right?" She waited while I nodded, wondering where she was going with it. "Well, I sort of thought there was something else I could teach you, that would be a fantastic surprise for Edward on the wedding day."

I was intrigued to say the least. "Ok, I'm in, what are you going to teach me Rose?"

"Edward's love of music. How would you feel about playing for him?" she asked and I grinned widely.

"I'd love to be able to play his piano for him on our wedding day but we've only got four weeks Rose, not four years." I laughed.

"He's on his way back from the river with the other two idiots so we'll have to shut up now, but I'll talk to you more about it tomorrow during our other lesson, okay?"

"Sure. Thanks Rose. See you tomorrow." This time I did leave.

I went back to our room to wait for Edward. I watched out the windows as the three boys rolled and jumped and played across the yard towards the house. Edward was magnificent. He was laughing loudly, his head thrown right back, and he was carefree and he was quite obviously happy.

He glanced up at the windows of our room and saw me standing there. He smiled in my direction and my heart leapt at the sheer joy of his happy and smiling face and eyes.

I winked and he smirked up at me before saying goodnight to his brothers and leaping up the tree and perching on a branch directly across from our bedroom doors.

"Hey monkey boy." I called to him.

"That's monkey man Bella, monkey man." He grinned holding his hand out for me to join him in the tree. I eyed him speculatively, was he really suggesting we hang out in a tree? "Come on love, you'll love it up here. This is the reason I chose this room, let me show you." He still had his hand out for me and I trusted him so I took his hand and let him pull me up onto the branch where he was crouched.

"This is the reason you chose the bedroom on the third floor?" I looked above us to the height of the tree. It was easily fifty meters tall and we were already ten meters off the ground just sitting here.

"Of course. Alice chose the front one on the first floor because she could see the driveway, nosey little bugger she is. Rose picked the middle floor room because they had room for their own study there. Esme gave me a choice of this or their room, I took one look at this big boy and knew I wanted this room. Will you let me show you why?" He grinned at me and I nodded.

He began to circle around behind me, standing to his full height against my back he drew me up so I was standing too and then he looked up above me at the top of the tree. He began to climb and I followed. We circled around the huge trunk as we went, avoiding the smaller branches and only stepping on the thicker ones as we made our way to the canopy. A few feet from the top Edward chose a branch and perched himself on it facing out over the yard. He patted the bit of wood beside him and I sat down and swung my legs over the edge as his arm came to rest about my waist. I didn't know if it could hurt me, falling from this high, so I was a little nervous. It felt like a stupid thing to ask so I was quiet.

"Look." He pointed out across the river and I followed his hand.

The sun was just setting so the water had a silvery sheen. I could see for miles. The little white beaches along the edges of the far side of the river looked like a wide velvet ribbon as they followed the curves of the river out to where it met the sea. The sea too was covered in a silver net as the sun dropped below the horizon for the night. Twilight, at its most beautiful. "It's gorgeous Edward." I whispered as he leaned his head onto my shoulder.

"I love it up here. So quiet. I spent a lot of time up this tree while I waited for you to move here from Phoenix you know? We'd come down from Denali in time for the start of the school year and so that Carlisle could begin at the hospital. But you were still tucked up in Phoenix." His voice was sad as he recalled this for my benefit. His mental thoughts were sad too, he was thinking about how long he'd waited for me.

"Did you ever think of finding someone to be with while you waited for me?" The question had been nagging at me for some time. I wasn't sure I'd like the answer, but wanted to ask anyway.

"No, never. Of course not. From the moment I saw you I knew you were who I'd been waiting for Isabella. No, I've never once thought of anyone else, even before I met you too, before you ask. I was okay on my own before I met you because I didn't know what it was I was missing. After I met you I was happy to wait patiently, or not so patiently sometimes, for you to grow up. But then once you did grow up and we starting getting to know each other, I knew that if you didn't choose this, me, us, I'd go back to being alone. Only you Bella, always only you." He whispered as he turned my face to his and planted a soft kiss at the corner of my mouth.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

**EPOV**

Rose was avoiding me so that I couldn't read in her mind what her and Bella were cooking up, I understood that. It wasn't always easy to hide things from me, even good things, so I did my best to stay out of their way as they prepared for whatever it was they were up to.

I had my own secrets to attend to anyway. Esme and I were now supervising the placement of the last of the furnishings and my new piano at the cottage. I couldn't have a full sized – or even a baby grand – here, so I had opted for an upright. It was beautiful though. Dark, rich wood with a nice padded seat. It would fit the surroundings beautifully. I'd wanted it beside the fireplace but Esme had warned that if we ever wanted to light an actual fire the radiant heat would damage the wood so I'd had to compromise and we'd shifted all the furniture around until I was happy with the piano now opposite the small bay window. That would give me enough light to play anytime and also enough space to still be able to use the living room for its intended purpose.

Esme was shouting orders to Jasper and Emmett as she fussed over the details of her own deliveries. Emmett was grumbling about missing out on a game on the television and Jasper wanted to go and be with Alice, but neither was going to be allowed to get away until Esme was satisfied that everything was where it should be.

"Why don't you have a TV here?" Emmett whined.

"Because we don't watch TV." I called back to him. I stretched the first pedal on the piano and set about tuning it.

"Not at all? Have you ever watched TV with her?" He called from the back bedroom.

"No, I don't think I have. It doesn't interest us Em, Rose never watches it with you anyway." Bella didn't even watch television at her own house I thought. Charlie did, he loved his ball games, but never Bella.

"I know, I just wondered what you fill your time with, besides the obvious." He asked. I could tell from his thoughts that he was sincere, not being an ass, so I answered truthfully.

"Bella is still needing a fair bit of rest so when she rests I go online or I read or listen to music. Sometimes I'll watch a movie, but not very often." If I thought about it we didn't have a very structured routine. We didn't do ritualistic things like watch TV or go out or do anything with the others. I wondered if that was normal. "What do you and Alice do at night Jaz?" I asked.

He answered in his usual speaking voice despite being in the back courtyard. "Alice is online a lot or using her computer to design but we spend a lot of time reading out loud." I stifled the laugh, Emmett did not.

"What, like poetry and shit, sorry Esme?" Emmett guffawed and Jasper winced.

"No dumbass, sorry Es. Novels mostly. Alice likes to lie on the sofa under the windows and I read to her. Sometimes she reads to me, it depends what books we're reading. That way we get to experience the book together, at the same time." He answered.

"Cool." Emmett replied and it was. Very cool. I would keep that in mind for Bella and I. We didn't tend to like the same sorts of books. She liked the classics and whilst our tastes did overlap a lot I wondered if we'd find a genre to explore together. I'd ask her tonight.

Esme came out of the bathroom with the empty packaging from some linen and asked why nobody wanted to know what her and Carlisle did at night. All three of us boys laughed but I could see she was serious so I asked.

"We put on music and light the fire and we sit in front of it together. He reads his medical journals and I embroider or draw or whatever. I thought we were fairly normal?" She posed it as a question and I thought about it for a bit.

"Yeah, that sounds normal to me. Renee and Phil would sit in their living room, Phil would read his Baseball manuals and Renee would sew or read. I think that's normal." I said honestly, using the only human analogy of a couple I could think of.

"What's the deal with that dick? Sorry Esme." Emmett asked. He was in the front garden moving the paving stones, laying sod then replacing them. He leaned in through the open window now and then.

"No news. Renee has told Charlie he's not coming back and she's not returning to him so I guess it's over, for good. She doesn't seem very bothered by it, which surprises me." I answered. With the pedals primed it was time to tune the actual keys. I stretched my fingers and cracked my knuckles – which made Esme wince as usual – before I began to knock each key in turn, twisting the tuning key as I went. Perfect clarity and perfect pitch were not vampire traits, they were Edward traits I mused to myself happily.

"So he's not asked after Bella at all then?" Jasper asked. He was hurt on Bella's behalf and I had to work very hard to keep my jealousy and my territorial streak in check when I answered.

"Not once, no. Bella says she doesn't mind, she says she understands why he doesn't want to know her now. She felt bad for Renee for a bit, that was until we worked out that her and Charlie were playing house."

"No shit?" Esme squealed and that cracked all us boys up!

**BPOV**

"Again Bella. Don't look at your feet this time. Focus on my shoulder. Go."

Rose held me up against her chest and swung me around the room. Anyone watching this from the edges of the room would think we were practicing some strange women's wrestling league moves instead of trying to dance.

"Again Bella. So not looking at your feet isn't working yet. Lets try something different. I'll hold you at arms length, you look at your feet if you need to, but once we're off and running you start to look up, okay?" I nodded and Alice flicked the music back on again.

Rose counted us in and we began again. I made the first few paces of the waltz looking at my feet and then when I got a grip on the pace and the size of the steps she wanted us to make I began to look up every second box step. "That's it. Now let me move you from this position, but keep the same pace, same size step." As we came to the last of the four steps in the box she moved us both a half turn to my right and we began the box again, this time facing Alice who was smiling broadly. "Good, good, now we'll do the same but we'll be moving backwards instead of to the side, ready?" Rose asked and I nodded, looking at my feet. Again as we completed the box shape she moved backwards half a step and I followed without losing track of the box or which step I needed to take. I smiled up at her, "That's it Bell's, you're doing great. I'm going to close the distance between us now." She pulled herself back up towards me and gripped my waist again, as Edward would do. As the music came to its close she pushed away from me and spun me out in a wide circle. I was so pleased it was finally making sense I didn't think too much about how to go back in towards her from the spin and when she tugged on my hand to pull me back towards her I tripped over my own feet and landed in a heap at hers.

"Sorry Rose." I giggled. Alice was laughing so hard she had sunk down into the sofa and was now covering her eyes with her hands.

"Yeah, well." Rose huffed. "You're doing great though Bella. We'll have to take a break now though, there's a delivery van coming up the drive, followed closely by our illustrious leader, look." She pointed to the glass windows on either side of the front door and I saw Carlisle waiting by the front steps for the driver to extract his package from the back of his truck. Carlisle signed for it and came in through the door greeting us with a wide smile.

"Hello ladies. Dance lessons I assume, or is this another episode that Jasper will want details on later?" He asked staring at Rose and I who were still holding each other as if to start the next dance. I let Rose go and she laughed. "Bella, this is for you." He handed me the small package wrapped in brown paper then went on to tell me he'd wait for me in his study.

"Rose, can you run down to the cottage and make sure Edward doesn't come back for at least half an hour?" Alice asked. Rose lifted an eyebrow but Alice grimaced and shook her head and Rose took off out the back door towards the cottage without another word. "What's that?" Alice asked excitedly.

"I've got no idea." I went and sat beside Alice on the sofa and tore the package open. The now familiar lilac envelope fell from it as soon as the paper was off. "Listen Alice. My darling Isabella, Our meadow was covered in tiny violet flowers the day we discovered it. Add these violets to your bracelet and you'll always have a piece of our magical place with you. Your name is carved in my soul as it is carved in that tree, 31 days, I will love you forever, Edward xx"

Alice began to bounce on the sofa and insisted I tear open the rest of the package to get at the treasure inside. Soon I held in my hand a tiny gold charm of three separate violet flowers all dangling from a single gold loop. Alice held the loop between her nails and prized it open then slipped it through the gold link right beside the diamond heart that had arrived yesterday. We both stared down at it and smiled. "It's gorgeous. What a romantic idea. Do you think he's got another thirty charms planned then?" She asked with wide eyes?

"Probably, you know Edward." I grinned and she hugged me tightly.

"I'm so happy for you both Bella. I've never seen him this happy. Oh, Carlisle is going to call for you in a minute you better get up there. I'll run down to the cottage for a bit. See you later." She patted my shoulder and was soon out the door.

I went up to Carlisle's study for my daily check up, eager to tell Carlisle what had happened on the hunt this morning.

**EPOV**

"Come on Rose, you can tell us." Emmett grinned over Rosalie's shoulder as he hugged her from behind.

"No can do. If Bella wants to tell she can." She was chanting the sequence numbers from the distributor housing from a 1967 Mustang to keep her thoughts from me. I shot her a half pissed off grimace and she laughed as she flipped me off.

I could hear Alice's thoughts as she skipped through the forest to join us. She was thinking about the charm that had just arrived to adorn Bella's bracelet and how romantic it was that I'd done that for her. She wished Jasper were as thoughtful. I left the piano and ran to Jaz in the courtyard quietly and quickly filling him in on what I was doing with the charms. I told him Alice liked the idea and that maybe he should think of something similar to do for her. He thanked me and said he'd give it some thought.

I ran back to the piano and had just struck the next chord as Alice ran in through the open front door.

"Hey big brother." She came and sat on the bench beside me and wrapped her arms around my middle hugging my tightly. "You're quite the romantic, aren't you?" She asked as I began to tune the next key. "You should see what Edward is doing for Bella before they get married you guys." She called softly, knowing everyone in the close proximity of the cottage would hear her.

I rolled my eyes as the others guffawed and teased me about being a pansy. But I knew from their thoughts that they thought it was a nice idea and that they were happy Bella loved me in turn making me happy. Not for the first time I wished she could be here with me right now.

"I'm going to head back if you three are done with whatever dastardly deed you are cooking up." I fluffed Alice' hair and she swatted at my arm.

"No." She said a little too loudly for my liking and I watched and listened carefully to what her objection to me going back to the house was. "We'll never hear you play this thing if you don't play for us now. We know you won't ever let us visit you here, dirty boy." She smirked. She seemed genuine enough though I knew she was hiding something.

"Oh come on Alice, you've heard me play a million times." I whined.

"You know you want to give it a whirl Ed, come on, show us what it can do, please?" Rose asked which astounded me. She normally huffed her way through my playing and left as soon as was polite when I finished. Instead she came inside and sat on the edge of the sofa, Emmett joining her. Now I was sure I was being kept away from the house on purpose. It was confirmed when Jasper came in and sat on the arm of the closest chair.

"Whoa, Ed, paranoid much?" He laughed. He'd felt my emotional change and commented on it, hoping to use my own paranoia to distract me from the obvious attempt to keep me away from Bella.

I had only just decided to leap off the bench and run to the house when Alice put her hand firmly on my forearm and asked me to please stay. "It's ok Edward, I promise. Bella is talking with Carlisle. That's all. She asked for a few minutes, to not be disturbed, that's all. You've nothing to be worried about." She stroked my hand in an aid to comfort me and I stared at her wide-eyed. Her mind showed my Bella sitting talking with Carlisle but not what they were talking about.

"Alice?" I pled.

"_I can't Edward. I promised I wouldn't. Please, play for us for a few minutes. That's all we're asking, a few more minutes."_ She cooed as she pushed my hair back from my forehead.

"You promise?" I asked, spooked and more than a little terrified that something could be wrong with my Bella.

"I promise."

I looked to my brothers and sisters and saw that they were merely waiting for me to begin. Esme was humming softly at the back of the cottage, continuing whatever ministrations she was busy with, so I picked a line from her tune and began to play. As the notes unfolded around me I began to calm. The sound was crisp, clear. A little brash but with age the piano would take on a more mellow sound. Nothing would ever be able to compete with the brilliance of my grand at the house but this little beauty would see me through. As Esme's tune came to its close I raced towards a more spirited rendition of 'Here comes the bride' that had my siblings in stitches as Alice and Jasper jumped up and began a mock salute to the wedding march.

When the melody came to its lilting conclusion I closed the lid of the piano and stood. I shot Alice one last look and as she nodded her head I took off to the house in search of Bella and some answers.

**BPOV**

"This is the first time this has happened then?" Carlisle asked as he jotted notes on my file.

"Yes. This morning. Alice and Rose took me to the western border for the first time. I had just the one caribou while the other two took off further up the trail for something larger. I was thirsty so anything was good enough for me." I answered.

"But you don't feel ill now?" he asked.

"No. The blood didn't taste tainted either. It was perfectly normal except for the heaving afterwards."

"You say all the blood was expelled from inside you? Did you become thirsty again after it was gone from your system then?" He asked quizzically.

"Yes, straight away. I still am too. I'm not burning, but I'm thirsty. Do you think maybe the caribou was sick?"

"Possibly. But I would've thought you'd taste something wrong with its blood and cease feeding if that was the case. Bella, what do you think it is?" He was smirking at me now but I had no idea what he wanted me to say.

"I don't know. I don't feel sick, I don't feel wrong, but you say these feelings aren't usual either. Am I imagining it?" I asked, confused.

"I don't think so, no. Okay, Edward will be back so we had better leave this for today. I'll see you tomorrow, same time. Let me know if anything changes." He shuffled my file back into the stack of files in his case and I told him thank you and that I'd see him later that evening.

I went out through the backdoor to wait for Edward. I knew he wasn't too far off coming home. He would leave the instant Rose and Alice appeared at the cottage so I knew I didn't have long to wait.

What I didn't know was that he would come flying through the trees at a rate of knots and that he'd bowl me over in an attempt to work out what was wrong with me.

"Tell me." He growled into my ear as he held me at arms length looking me over from head to toe. He forced me to turn around between his hands so he could look me over completely. I could tell from his mental state that he wouldn't be placated quite so easily today.

"Tell you what Edward?" I asked, trying desperately to hide my worry.

"You, Carlisle, what is it?" He was panicked, I could hear it in his voice and see it in his eyes. His mental thoughts were perilously close to out and out terror.

"I needed to ask Carlisle to do something for me before the wedding silly boy." I laughed lightly hoping he'd laugh too, he didn't.

He tugged my hand and I knew where we were headed before he pulled me up the stairs. Carlisle wasn't shocked when Edward barged into his office, pulling me behind him and plonked me down in the visitor's chair. I winced at Carlisle by way of apology and he smiled back in reply. Something told me he had been expecting this before now.

"One of you is lying. Since I can't read _her_ mind I'm going to assume it's Bella. Which means my fiancé is telling me a heap of horse shit and you're going along with it." He was furious. His mind was racing and he wasn't quite sure which of us to be angrier at, I was pretty sure I didn't want him to settle for me so I began.

"I've been feeling a bit off since Saturday and Carlisle has been coming home during the day – while you're at school so you won't worry – to check on me." I whispered.

Edward sunk to his knees beside me and took my hands into his. "Bella, what's wrong? Why have you kept this from me? Is…Carlisle…Bella…is it…what do I do?" He was panicking proper now. _'I can't lose her. I wont. We'll fight it, whatever it is. I wont lose her, not now.' _he was chanting in his mind and I winced at the pain of his thoughts.

"The symptoms are fairly vague Edward. I have a fair idea of what is going on but I am loathe to put voice to it until I've completed my research..." Carlisle was cut off by Edward jumping to his feet and striding to Carlisle's side of the desk and slamming his fists down onto the desk.

"No!" He roared. "You tell me now." He hissed.

Carlisle merely smirked and clasped his hands together on top of the open book on the table. Carlisle nodded sagely and I felt my own anger begin to build. If Carlisle had a theory why didn't he share it with me? I'd been worried for days and he'd not said a word.

Edward came back to where I sat and sat back down on his knees. He was rolling my engagement ring between his fingers chanting '_we'll fight together, we'll fight together, we'll fight together'_ over and over as he prepared to hear what Carlisle knew.

"Alright, I'll tell you what I do know for certain. The rest is merely speculation at present. Bella has a thirst that isn't satiated by feeding. Not like ours is. Even after feeding she is immediately thirsty but absent of burning. After feeding, sometimes, she hears and feels a thudding noise that isn't associated with her kill. It radiates from within her. She is bloated and tired and today she regurgitated the blood she'd ingested. For some reason you can now hear her mind, but only when your two bodies are connected in the most primitive of ways. Bella dear, would you stand up for me please?" he asked as he came around to my side of the desk. Edward stood and moved behind the chair, putting his hands on my hips as I stood in front of the chair. Carlisle came towards me and lifted my jersey to just under my breasts. He ran his hand across my bare stomach and smiled. "Have you noticed this yourself Bella?" He asked and I put my hands over my belly where his had been. I felt a tiny bump. I shook my head no, I hadn't noticed gaining any weight. I didn't think I could gain any so I never thought of it before. Carlisle put his hands back on my abdomen and pressed lightly before turning his eyes back to mine and whispering, "Bella I think you're pregnant."

**EPOV**

He was an idiot. A madman. A fucking lunatic. Bella was a vampire. Vampires did not get pregnant. If they could Rose would've found a way before now. Esme would have a house full of offspring if it were at all possible. Carlisle had lost his mind.

Carlisle had spent too many years with humans, their frail minds were wearing on him.

Bella flopped back into the chair and drew in a huge breath of air. Her face was passive and told me nothing about what she was thinking. Carlisle's mind however was racing with the possibility of becoming a 'grandfather'.

"You cannot be serious Carlisle?" I asked incredulously. He honestly believed his own drivel!

"I'm deadly serious son. I'm fairly certain that Bella was pregnant before she was changed, that's why it's possible. We both know it wouldn't be possible afterward." Carlisle said calmly. I took a seat on the sofa by the wall and put my head in my hands. Bella hadn't uttered a word as yet.

"But…it's not possible…I've been to medical school and even though vampiric medicine wasn't on the curriculum I'm fairly certain that my unchanging status rendered this impossible." I sighed heavily again but continued, "You know this is impossible Carlisle, it's something else, she's ill."

"Perhaps not son. I've found one other quite well documented case and there are others too though they are sketchy at best. You know as well as I do that our lore is not well documented for fear of discovery, but some volumes exist. There is the product of a human mother and vampire father alive and well and living in Florence as we speak. Nathaniel is his name. I have contacted an acquaintance there and I hope to speak with him soon to gain some more information."

"Did the human mother survive Carlisle?" I asked already knowing the answer as it formed in his mind.

"No." He answered with a wince.

"But Bella?" I asked quietly.

"I've got more research to do Edward. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, at this stage it is only a theory." He mused.

"I would've had to have been ovulating at the exact right time Carlisle. What are the odds?" Bella asked softly.

"You've given me the dates of your…yes, you would've been ovulating or very close to it…forgive me for this Bella but I need to be frank about this. When you and Edward had sex that night you would've been ovulating, yes. You conceived that night or at the very least in that 24 hour period because you were in the throes of your change the following night." He smiled at her affectionately. She nodded vaguely.

"I don't suppose a pharmacy pregnancy test would work, would it?" She grimaced.

"I have no idea. I've got one if you'd like to try it?" He pulled a small box out of his medical bag and handed it to Bella across his desk. She took it with a shaky hand and stood to leave the room. I put my head back in my hair and made to wait.

"Edward?" Bella stood in front of the sofa with her hand outstretched. "Are you coming?" she wanted me to go with her? Right. Okay, I could do that.

I put my hand in hers and let her lead me up the next flight of stairs to our room.

We both sat on the end of our bed in silence for a few minutes. She tossed the box from hand to hand idly. I exhaled loudly and took her hand in mine to steady both her and the box. "Can't hurt to try the test, right?" I asked her. She was so quiet it was obvious she was distressed. Frightened even. This wasn't what she wanted. We weren't even married yet. She'd hate that people would gossip, that the already rife gossip would be true. She'd hate me forever for this. She was too young for this. I was too young for this, as stupid as that sounded. I never thought this was something we'd ever have to contemplate.

"I'm not frightened Edward. We aren't too young for this. You're 109 years old." She laughed.

"How can you not be frightened? I bloody am." I tried to make light of it but I was actually, for the first time since her change frightened.

"If it's true how could I be frightened? And I'm not worried about gossip either. Are you angry with me?" She asked so quietly I had to lean in to catch the inflection.

"No, of course not. Why would I be?"

"We aren't married." She sighed.

I took her into my arms and kissed her soundly on the lips. "Isabella Swan, I doubt even God himself could deny the connection between us. We've made more resounding, binding commitments to each other than any human couple could contemplate. Of course I'd prefer us to be married before something like this but it wasn't planned was it? I think you'd have preferred it too yes?" I asked.

"Yes, but it wasn't ever something I thought we'd ever have to decide."

"We don't even know for sure yet, Carlisle could be wrong. I wouldn't bet against Alice, but Carlisle?" I smirked.

"Okay, so this conversation is a waste of time till we know isn't it? So I'll take the test and call you, you can come in and wait with me, yeah?" She asked and I nodded.

"Bella," I called as she reached the bathroom doorway. "I love you."

"I love you too Edward." she said and graced me with a beautiful smile.

She closed the bathroom door behind her and I lie back down on the bed and tried to remain calm. A baby? Me and Bella with a baby? Could it be possible? I didn't want to hope in case Carlisle **was** a lunatic and he'd gotten it wrong. I'd never thought to wish for it, I'd never dared hoped for it. Now he was telling me not only was it possible but that there was just such a progeny out there alive and well. Why he'd never thought to warn us before I didn't know. I'd ask though, that was for sure.

I heard the toilet flush and then Bella was calling my name softly. I went into the bathroom to find her sitting on the closed lid of the toilet, the test kit open on the vanity counter.

"How long does it say to wait?" I asked, never having had anything to do with such a device.

"Two minutes." She said gruffly.

"I don't think there is much point love." I said as I looked down at the little stick sitting in its torn wrapper. "Look." I held the stick out to her and heard her gasp.

"I can't look." She said squeezing her eyes shut.

"Bella, love, why?" I asked.

"If it's true we'll panic, if it's negative I'll be disappointed."

Her apprehension, however, was for naught. The two solid blue lines were clearly visible. She was pregnant. My beautiful Isabella was going to give me a child!

Bella gasped as soon as my errant thought was complete. She'd read the result of her test in my brain. "We're going to have a baby Edward?" She asked with wide eyes.

"Yes Isabella, we're going to have a baby." I said taking her into my arms and kissing her soundly.

**BPOV**

We looked at the stick a dozen times in the next half hour as Edward and I sat on the sofa in our room. I had my back to his chest and he held me tightly around my middle, his hands cupped over my belly protectively. He was kissing my hair and murmuring how much he loved me, how clever I was, how happy he was, over and over and over as we stared at the test stick.

After a few minutes silent contemplation he called for Carlisle to join us. Carlisle strode into the room and sat on the edge of the bed facing us. I was sure it was obvious what the result had been, both Edward and I were grinning inanely but Carlisle asked anyway. As a reply I held my hand out and showed him the test stick.

The smile that lit his features was nothing short of radiant.

"Please don't say anything yet Carlisle." Edward whispered and Carlisle nodded.

He stood and I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tightly. "Thank you." I whispered into his neck.

"No, thank you Isabella." He said, his eyes shining with pleasure. "There is much I need to research now however. Tomorrow, our usual time yes?" He asked and I nodded.

He settled a wide smile and a handshake on Edward and then stared at him for a half second. I recognized this as a silent conversation and watched as Edward nodded slightly in response. Then Carlisle left us and soon I heard his car leaving the driveway.

I could only hear Edward's side of the exchange and all I had heard was the word yes. If he wanted me to know he'd have told me, he didn't look worried or displeased so I simply let it go as something between the two of them and not for me.

The others had returned from the cottage a few minutes prior but neither of us wanted to go and seek them out. We wanted this bliss for ourselves for a little while longer.

"Alice will know, wont she Edward?" I asked.

"I don't know." Neither of us wanted to speak of it out loud because everyone could hear us and then we'd be inundated with talk and the spell would be broken.

I knew of only one way that we could talk to each other totally silently without the threat of being overheard.

"Edward?" I asked shyly.

"Yes love." He answered.

"If we were to make love right now we could, um, you know, talk." I ventured and felt him chuckle behind me.

"We could indeed. How very clever you are Isabella." He laughed.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

**EPOV**

I wanted nothing more than to shout from the rooftops that I was going to be a father but knew that I couldn't. There was so much to consider, so many things to decide, so much of the unknown I wanted to be sure of before I let my pleasure be known to the others.

I was sure that if Alice had seen this she'd be up here with us already. The fact that she was now ensconced in a game of poker with Emmett and not here bouncing and forcing her opinions on us regarding nursery furniture meant that she'd not seen it. Perhaps she could not see it?

The wolves were half-breeds, part human part wolf and Alice could not see them either. This baby would be half human half vampire, perhaps it was going to be exempt from Alice' proclivities?

I was thinking on this when Bella had her wonderful idea. I pulled her to me and kissed her lightly on her lips. She sighed in to me and pushed us back onto the sofa fully, her between my thighs.

I bought my hands to her cup her cheeks and told her how much I loved her, wanted her, needed her.

"Oh Edward, I love you so much. I can't believe how lucky we are." She sighed into my open mouth as her tongue came to meet mine midway.

I could hear the others moving around downstairs now. Rose was actively listening to our conversation and Alice was trying not to be obvious about it but was also intently listening for signs of information. I ran both girls thoughts through my mind in order to make Bella aware that we needed to be very, very careful about what we said out loud.

She broke the kiss and nodded then leaned back over me and took my bottom lip between hers and kissed me again, she understood perfectly.

I fucking adored being read by Isabella. 100% loved it. Completely. Totally. Utterly.

**BPOV**

Bingo! We have one hundred percent!

I fisted my hands into his hair and pulled his mouth harder onto mine and drank him in. His luscious tongue lapped at mine as I sank onto the sofa against the length of his body. I moaned loudly into his mouth as his erection pressed firmly into my stomach. We'd only been kissing for half a minute and he was hard already!

If I could just get him inside of me, right now, fast, this instant he'd be able to hear how much I loved him, really know how much I wanted this with him. So for the first time since I'd known Edward I tore his shirt from his frame and flung it across the room roughly. I ran my tongue down the rippled tautness of his chest and abs and pushed myself up off the sofa, I stood before him and then used my nails to claw his jeans from his hips.

'_Oh god…yes…'_ he thought as I watched his eyes darken before me.

I pulled my own jeans off and then shredded my t-shirt as I ripped it off my super heated body. My tattoo was tingling and raised and inky black and I watched Edward's eyes trace it as I lowered myself onto him on the sofa.

I reached underneath me and held his hard length in my hand as I guided it into my wet centre. The strangled sob that escaped my lips was met with Edward's own guttural cry as I took him inside me fully.

I love you Edward I thought as I made the first delicious stroke.

**EPOV**

'I love you too Bella' I answered as she rode me. I steadied her with my hands at her hips and she leaned forward for me to take her nipple into my mouth. 'God you taste so good baby' I told her as she settled me deeper inside her.

'_Oh Edward…so good…too good…'_ Bella sobbed in her brain, I shifted my hips to meet her as she plunged herself down onto me.

'Careful Bella' I warned as she slammed herself into me once again.

'_Oh god…should we be doing this?' _Bella thought and I realized she'd misunderstood me. She thought we'd hurt the baby if we had sex this way.

'Yes baby, we can do this, it's okay, really it is. I meant you have to be careful with me, if you keep doing what you're doing this will be over before it began and we won't be able to talk like this about anything.' I smirked as understanding flooded across her face.

'_Oh, yes. You're right. It's just…so good…I don't want to stop to talk…Edward I need…Edward…' _she was close to her release and I wanted it for her as much as she wanted it for herself.

So I grabbed her by the hips and carried her, still joined with me, to our bed and laid her down. I bought my hands up to cup her neck and stroked her slowly, languidly with deliberate strokes until I could feel her breathing hitch and her fingers digging into my shoulder blades as her climax approached.

'Cum for me Bella…let go for me…' I told her as I watched her eyes widen with pleasure. I bought one hand down between us and circled her clit with my finger and thumb and she cried out as the first waves found her.

'_I love you…I love you…yes…so good…I love you…' _she called to me in her mind as her orgasm shredded the last of her control and she shuddered around my length.

I stilled all movement and slid down onto the bed and lay beside her, she turned over, her back to my chest, I dug my fingers into her hip pulling her ass towards me, making sure I stayed inside her as we moved.

'If I go slow enough we can talk baby' I told her just as her orgasm abated and she began to wonder why I'd moved.

'_Oh Edward…that was so amazing…do you think…oh yeah, there, a bit harder…mmm…do you think everything will be okay?' _she asked as I tried to concentrate on long, slow, deliberate strokes and her question at the same time. Infinite room in ones mind is one thing, being able to separate thoughts from actions was another thing entirely.

'Carlisle will complete his research…god Bella that's so good…maybe we'll take a quick trip to Italy…Jesus Bella, keep your hips still or I'll…god…' I couldn't complete the thought. The idea of Bella and I in Italy made me shudder. I wanted to go everywhere with her, see everything we could see, but Italy would be a fantasy come true for me.

'_Italy Edward?' she asked._

'Yes, Italy Bella…slow down baby…are you sure you feel okay?' I asked as I swatted her hand away from my neck. If she reached around and tugged at my hair while I tried to maintain this for any period of time I'd cum and we'd be done for.

'_Italy and hair…I'll remember that Edward.' _She grunted loudly as I pushed into her fully, hard, to show her how much those two things drove me wild. _'I feel fine darling…thirsty all the time but not hurting…can you, a bit deeper…Christ yes, like that…so good…' _

'You've made me so happy…god you feel good…I can't keep going like this much longer…I need to…god Bella.'

'_I'm happy too Edward…so, so happy…I still can't believe it…you, me, baby, married at the cottage…oh Edward.' _she crooned and I lost it.

'Fuck…Bella…I'm so sorry…I can't help it…Bella…I love you…I love you…Bella…' I couldn't finish the thought because I was exploding inside her as she whispered my name over and over and leaned back to tug my mouth to her throat as I bucked wildly against her.

I kissed her over and over again as I plummeted headlong into my release.

Soon we were wrapped in each other's arms and whispering our love into each other's mouths as we shared sweet kisses and knowing smiles. We had a silent understanding that for now at least this knowledge, what was growing in Bella's belly, would stay between us.

As she closed her eyes to rest I began my mental checklist of all I'd have to do, all I'd have to arrange in the coming months in preparation for our baby. Our baby. Oh. My. Fucking. God.

I was going to have a baby. I could give it my name. Someone to teach, a creation that was half Bella half me, someone to watch grow.

A black cloud of fear took me over as I thought of that. Would our baby grow or be forever stuck in a transitory state between human and vampire?

Oh god, what have we done?

**BPOV**

I could hear Edward wrestling with his fear in his mind but was loath to interrupt his thought processes. He'd worry about this regardless of my interference, I knew that about him. All dad's worried about things when their progeny were in utero, Edward would be no different.

It wasn't that I wasn't worried, I was, terribly. I'd never heard of this being possible before, neither had Carlisle or Edward before now, so we were all in the dark about what this meant.

I would worry about it when I had something more concrete to worry about. For now I wanted to lie here and bask in what was, up until now, one of the most amazing days of my life. I was going to have a baby. Edward's baby no less. I'd give him a child and we'd love it forever.

When Edward began to worry about what it would do to us, later on, in many years, when our child died and we continued on I couldn't be silent anymore.

"Shhh Edward, please don't." I whispered against his granite jaw line. "Please, can we just have a few days to be happy about it before we begin with the what if's?" I asked.

He stroked my cheek and kissed me softly. "Sorry love, old habits die hard." He chuckled. "I can't promise I wont worry but I'll do my best to just be happy until we know more."

"Thank you" I murmured sleepily. With Edward's fingers trailing idly up my arm and across my shoulder I felt blissfully contented. Thirsty but contented. I reached behind me and pulled the edge of the comforter over us and sighed into his glorious chest. "So tired," I mumbled as he kissed my hair.

"Rest my Bella." He crooned into my ear. He began to hum my lullaby and for the first time in several weeks I felt myself drift off to sleep in his arms.

**EPOV**

I felt her slip away from me and fought the panic as she snuffled and slept. She was actually asleep! My vampire 'wife' was asleep in my arms, probably because she was pregnant, with my child!

I didn't want to disturb her but I was terribly worried about her actually sleeping. Logically it had to be a very human response to being with child and so tired as the baby grew, but the vampire in me made me panic. I slipped my arm out from under her and pulled on some clean clothes.

I took my cell phone off the desk as I left the room, pulling the door shut behind me so as to not wake her.

As I made my way downstairs I could hear Alice calling for me. I tried desperately to keep any decision making to a minimum, and contained to the here and now as I approached her room, knocking quietly.

"Come on in lover boy." She giggled. She was lying on the sofa under the windows flicking idly through another fashion magazine. "Everything alright?" She asked.

"Yes of course, why wouldn't it be? What have you seen Alice?" I asked trying to keep the panic from my voice.

"Nothing, that's just the problem." She huffed and I knew our secret was safe, for now.

"Well then, if you've not seen anything then there is nothing to worry about, is there?" I smirked.

"If you say so. Bella resting?" she asked and I nodded.

"I'm going to head back down to the cottage and finish tuning the piano. Need anything other than being nosy?" I asked Alice and she glared at me.

"No, besides, Bella will tell me anyway." She stuck her tongue out at me and I left, thinking for the first time since I'd met Alice that I'd probably bet against her in this instance. I heard her taunt me with 'Yeah, well, it's going to rain tomorrow and you'll have to go to school with the rest of us Mr Grumpy.'

"Yes Carlisle, actually asleep." I yelled into the phone.

"I don't know what to tell you Edward. Pregnant women often sleep a lot. I don't see why Bella would be any different. She has needed to rest a lot having changed only recently and if you add that to this, well I think it's only logical that she'd need to sleep. Lucky girl." He laughed.

"Should I stay with her, just in case? I mean, obviously I've left her asleep just now to come to cottage to phone you, but should I stay in the room just in case?" I was pacing along in front of my piano and running my free hand through my hair.

"She's asleep Edward not in a coma. Behave normally. Son, listen to me. I know you've had a shock and this is all still very new to you, but she'll be fine. That Nathaniel is alive and well is testament to it being possible." He tried to placate me.

"You keep saying that Carlisle, that he's alive and well so everything will be fine, but I wont believe it until you can show me proof that there is a child whose mother is fine also." Now that I'd put voice to my worst fear I felt weak and selfish. Of course I wanted my unborn child to be well and fit and healthy, but not at Bella's expense.

"I'm working on it Edward. Give me a few days. This is why we wanted to keep this from you for another few days. I wanted to be able to give you that proof and put all these fears aside at the same time. As soon as I know something you will."

"Okay. So we wait. Right. Is there anything I can do in the meantime? I can research too you know."

"Of course. Anything you want to undertake would be helpful, but from our silent conversation earlier that might be tricky given your sister's talents." He offered and I had to agree.

"Yeah. Fair enough. So for now we wait. But hurry Carlisle, please." I begged.

"I am, trust me. I have a patient waiting Edward, I'll see you tonight. But before I go, let me just say, congratulations son."

"Thanks dad." I answered knowing it would make him happy.

I closed my cell phone and tugged the door shut behind me as I made my way back to the house.

I checked in on Bella who was sleeping soundly, cuddled down into the bed like she always did when she was human. I kissed her lightly on her forehead and went to find Esme.

She was in the loft pouring over plans for the Denali house. "Adding on are we?" I asked her as she looked up from the drafting table.

"Mmmhmm." Was all she answered and I immediately searched her mind to see what was wrong. Esme was never short with me, she never concealed things from me. But at this minute she was reciting Bella's chocolate cake recipe over and over to keep me out.

"What is it Esme?" I asked, worried. She merely pointed to the plans in front of her. "What? I don't understand." I said again. She looked a mix between frustrated and concerned and I began to take on some of her emotional state as I watched her take a red chalk pencil from the caddy on the table and begin to draw long lines across the plans.

I watched as she scrubbed the pencil across the line that was the wall between my room and her sewing room in the house there. I crinkled up my eyes wondering what she was doing when she moved the pencil in the opposite direction and drew it through my room on an angle, segregating part of the room off. It made no sense. Why was she silently telling me she wanted to remodel my bedroom at the Denali house? Once she'd completed that line she began to write something in the smaller quadrant of room she'd sectioned off. As she drew her hand away from the word I gasped.

In Esme's clear, neat handwriting was the word 'nursery' in crisp red letters.

I didn't know how she knew but she did. She was silently telling me she knew, so the others wouldn't hear.

I immediately put my hand to my heart and closed my eyes. I strode around the table and took her into my arms and hugged her tightly. I didn't know how to answer her without bringing notice to the conversation from four very nosy siblings so I followed her lead.

I tugged the tube marked 'Cottage' from the stack at the side of her desk and took the wide blueprint from its confines. I unrolled it onto the desk, on top of the Denali house plans and held my hand out for her red pencil. When she handed it to me I copied the word nursery into the little square that was the spare room at the cottage.

She put her hand to her mouth and then put it over her heart and took me back into her arms. She stroked my hair and sobbed silently against my chest as I held her.

"Carlisle?" I asked in a whisper against her hair and I felt her nod once in ascension.

"_Please don't be cross with him, he was just so…I bribed it out of him._" I grimaced as she replayed in her mind what she'd done to him, for him actually, to get the information out of him. I could've lived someone else's lifetime and mine without needing to see that mental image!

"I'm not cross, ish." I chuckled and felt her laugh against me. "Can I leave the cottage to you then? We'll all be going to school tomorrow, can you do it without Bella knowing too?" I asked.

"Yes, leave it with me. Thank you Edward. Thank you so much." She patted my cheek and I knew why she was saying thank you.

I put my hand on my heart again, waited for her to copy it then I was gone, back to my sleeping beauty.

**BPOV**

"I was really asleep then?" I asked as we sat on the hood of the Veyron at the edge of the trail that lead to our meadow.

"Yes, I've never seen anything more beautiful than my Bella, my pregnant Bella asleep in our bed." Edward replied as he took my hand and led me along the first part of the path.

"Wow. It's all so surreal, you know?" I asked, not really needing an answer.

He'd been sitting at the desk on the laptop when I'd woken. I was disoriented and slightly panicked because I felt so odd. He'd leapt from his chair and come to the bed to tell me everything was fine before I could even put voice to my concerns. We'd sat for the longest time staring at each other and smiling widely. There was no need to say anything, we were blissfully happy and I could tell from his mental state that he was in control of his fear and just wanted to experience this with me as best he could.

I'd suggested going to the meadow as a way to escape the others and to be able to talk about all that we were feeling in privacy. Edward jumped at the chance and soon we were away in the Veyron, Edward at the wheel, despite a heated version of vampire rock-paper-scissors that I lost. I would get a turn to drive us tomorrow night when we went to my parents house for an after dinner visit.

As the meadow came into sight we both paused at the tree and Edward ran his fingers over our initials then drew me to his side and kissed me softly. "I love you so much Bella Swan. Thirty-one days is thirty too many my love." He whispered. He led me to the centre of the meadow and tugged my hand so that I came to rest across his chest, his hand in my hair as we lie back in the sunshine. There were no flowers now though, the recent snow and cold had put paid to that.

I lifted my bracelet into the air so that we could both see it and Edward reached up and ran the tiny trilogy of violet flowers through his fingers. "Do you like them love?" He asked.

"They're gorgeous Edward. Do you really have thirty more planned?" I asked.

"You'll have to wait and see wont you?" He kissed my hair and I sighed. I was betting he did have them planned.

"I'll have to add another to my list when I get home, perhaps a diaper or a rattle." I could hear the chuckle emanating from deep within his chest as I lie across him, stroking his belly through his shirt.

"That's a little premature don't you think?" I asked.

"Not at all. We wont be able to hide it forever Bella."

"I realize that, but rattles and diapers? We don't even know if this baby is going to be a vampire or a human yet. We may need neither, we may need both." I stated simply.

"True. However, somewhere on that bracelet of yours will one day be a representation of the gift you're giving me." He was chuckling again now.

"What's so amusing?"

"I was just thinking about how mad Alice is going to be that we have a secret she can't see." He laughed again and I joined in.

"It's not often you can get one over on Alice, I suppose."

"I've never seen it happen in fifty years love. Besides the wolves, she can't see them either."

As if on queue Edward's cell phone began to vibrate in his jeans pocket. I took great pleasure in retrieving it for him and he winked at me as I handed it to him, making my heart flutter with desire.

**EPOV**

"Edward why have I just seen you, Bella and Carlisle on a plane to Italy?" Alice screeched down the phone at me.

"Calm down Alice, what are you on about woman?" I lied smoothly. I knew Bella could hear the conversation, hell, the wolves could probably hear it and they were fifteen miles away!

"Don't you 'woman' me Edward Cullen. I have very clearly just seen you, Bella and Carlisle board a plane for Italy. What's going on?" She yelled.

"I think you've inhaled too much paint at the cottage Alice. I'm busy, I'll talk to you tonight. Bye nosy." And I shut the phone. It rang only a few seconds later but I held the button to turn it off and slipped it back into my pocket.

"She's going to be so furious with us." Bella giggled.

"Oh yeah, hell hath no fury like Alice left out of the loop." I chuckled along.

"How long do you think we can keep this ourselves, realistically?" she asked and I winced. Damn, Esme knew, Carlisle knew, it wouldn't be long at this rate.

"Esme knows." I barked, not meaning to be so harsh but I had to tell her.

"Fuck." She shouted and I cringed again. Not good when Bella starts cursing. "Okay, so only the 'olds'" I had to laugh at that.

"Yeah, the 'olds'." I chuckled. "Esme is probably online ordering nursery furniture as we speak. She was so excited, as was Carlisle. I spoke to him this afternoon, while you were asleep – I'll never get tired of saying that by the way – and he suggested we just behave normally and when he's got more information he'll share it with us."

"That is a mighty fine plan there but in the meantime how do we keep this from four pretty nosy brothers and sisters? Alice will see you making plans and she'll also either see me doing it too or disappearing, she'll twig soon enough. Jasper is going to go crackers around us the way we are feeling right now." She grimaced at the thought but I chuckled darkly.

"I've never had a secret before Bella. I love this, having something that is just ours, not sharing it is divine. Wicked, but divine." I smoothed her hair and rubbed her shoulder as she giggled against my stomach.

"Well then, lets keep it for as long as we can, shall we?"

"Can I ask you something Bella?" I asked tentatively.

"Anything." She replied, my favorite answer of all.

"Will you come to school with me next week? Even if it's for just one day, I just want one day." I asked shyly. We both knew she wouldn't be returning to school after the break now. It might be years before we could go to school together again, our child would more than likely accompany us. Oh god. It would be torturous.

I felt her suck in a breath and I knew she was really, really thinking about it. I wanted her with me, just once. To throw in the faces of all the doubters that we were meant for each other, that we were in love, that we were getting married because we wanted to, not because we had to. Even though, undoubtedly now, we did have to.

"No Edward." My heart clenched as she answered. It was too soon, I knew it was. I was being selfish asking her to do this this soon to her change. "Stop it for Christ's sakes. I didn't say no to going to school with you, I said no we don't have to get married if we don't want to. Even though I'm pregnant that's not a reason to get married in this day and age Edward. Millions of people have babies everyday and most of them aren't married, they survive quite well. We're getting married _despite_ being pregnant. Don't mope, it doesn't suit you baby. Now, about school…" She took a moment to think on it some more before she answered. "I'll try. On the last day of term, I'll try, alright?"

My heart leapt for joy and I couldn't contain the whoop of excitement I felt when she said she would try, for me. In your face Mike 'Douchebag' Newton!

**BPOV**

"Nice name calling Cullen." I howled as Edward mentally dissed Mike Newton.

"We had better be heading back soon, your mom will be waiting for you online about now wont she?" he asked as we made to stand, untangling ourselves from each other.

"Probably. God Edward, how am I going to keep this from them? I want to tell everyone, hell, I want to take out an ad in the newspaper and make sure the whole country knows." I put an arm around his waist as we strolled back down the trail.

"I don't know how to do it either. I want everyone to know too. I just feel so fucking smug right now." he chuckled.

"I should kick your ass, you know that right?" I teased knowing he'd take the bait.

"What for? What did I do now?" He asked.

"You knocked me up. I specifically asked if you were safe, you told me you were. I've fallen for the same trick thousands of teenage girls fall for. Some exceedingly handsome boy tells her he loves her and begs her to sleep with him. She does the sane thing and asks if they should protect themselves and he says no, of course not honey, I can't give you children. Next thing you know she's got a bun in the oven. I bet you only did this to force me to marry you, you're so bloody sneaky. I feel so…so…"

Edward swung me around so I was facing him, facing back down the trail. His eyes were pitch black and sparkling wildly in the sunlight. He lowered his mouth to my neck and sucked deeply before growling, "So what Isabella?"

"So fucking lucky Edward, I was going to say lucky." I laughed as he caught my face in his hands and proceeded to kiss me hard.

"Me too baby, me too." He was thinking about how he'd ever gotten so lucky and I felt the same.

"Do you think, um, if I called my mom and told her I was running late that we could…" He didn't let me finish, he had his phone out of his pocket and had pressed speed dial before I finished the sentence. I plucked it out of his hand and when my mother answered I told her I'd be about another half hour, I looked to Edward but he was shaking his head violently so I amended my statement and said to give me a full hour and I'd be online for our chat. As I snapped the phone shut Edward grabbed me around the waist and ran with me back to where the Veyron stood at the head of the trail.

**EPOV**

Half an hour indeed! It was a ten minute drive home and it would take me at least four minutes to run with her back to the car, that would leave me only sixteen minutes to have my wicked way with her in my extremely impressive car. Unacceptable, so I'd insisted she tell her mother an hour. Plenty of time for what I was planning.

She giggled the whole way down the trail and as I plonked her on her feet at the passenger side door of the Veyron. I pushed the button for the central locking and as soon as it beeped I had her in her seat. I ran to the drivers' side and slid in into it in haste, dying to have her.

"What now Edward?" she giggled. "This thing isn't going to be big enough for what you're thinking about."

"You doubt me? That wounds me Bella, I feel terribly, terribly forlorn now." I put my hand on where my heart should be beating thunderously and pouted my best seventeen-year-old whoa is me face.

"Sometimes I wish I had Alice' talent." She whispered and I laughed so loud she covered her ears.

"No, trust me, you don't wish you had that. I'd never be able to surprise you ever again." I mused as I leaned over her and took her lips between mine. She bit down on my tongue as my hand moved across her hip and down to the lever at the side of her seat. With a simple flick of my fingers she was reclined, lying almost flat, in the leather seat. She gasped as I moved across the centre console and came to lie on top of her fully. You like my car baby? I asked silently.

As my hand slid up the inside of her thigh I felt her nod against my mouth and I grinned. Oh yeah, you like my car.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

**BPOV**

Tearing himself away from me on Thursday morning was rough. It was as if the day spent together yesterday had only fueled the desire to be together always. I could still hear him cursing this existence as the car moved down the driveway. If Alice hadn't volunteered to drive today I doubt he would've been able to drive to school himself.

We'd run off to hunt early this morning, before the sun came up, and had only just made it back to the house in time for Edward to change and collect his wallet and keys before Alice was tooting the horn in the drive.

A clean break, a fast clean break was always going to be easiest but it never really got that far with us. We both knew he had to go but neither of us would let the other go. Especially not now that we knew I was pregnant. Edward was worried about me being without him and I was worried about him not being here for my check up with Carlisle. I'd convinced him to let go by promising to call him as often as we could possibly sneak in between his classes.

I stood on the steps with Esme as we watched them drive away and I felt lost, lonely and more than a little freaked out at being all but alone for the day.

Esme was going to the city again today but the details of her trip were pretty sketchy. I hadn't been listening and now felt guilty about it as she asked what I planned to fill my time with today. I told her I had chores to do and could make a start boxing up Edward's room in readiness for the big 'putsch' as the renovation became known. Carlisle would come home at lunchtime and he'd check me over so I'd have someone to talk to for a little while at least while I waited for Edward to return.

Edward had explained that Esme wouldn't talk to me about being pregnant yet just in case Alice twigged that there were decisions and plans being made around that detail. But Esme hugged me extra tightly and kissed my cheek before she left for the city that morning.

I went to our room and gathered all our laundry. As I got to the bottom of the staircase my cell phone vibrated in my pocket.

~The first bell is about to go, I can't handle this. I need you. I crave you. E xx ~

I went to my message centre and replied as fast as I could so he'd see it before he had to go into class.

~I hate this. You're like a drug to me. I need you, crave you, want just you. B xx ~

I took my time with our laundry and tidying our bathroom and making the bed. It would be our last day in the room as it was now and I was looking forward to seeing it anew. I was still living out of delivery boxes for clothes and things so I was also really looking forward to having my stuff put away properly. Then it would feel more real. More like this was our space rather than Edward's space that I was sharing.

Mid morning I received another text, this one made me howl with laughter for a good half hour.

~Mike Newton's locker has just exploded! It was filled with condoms and lube. Huge mess. Emmett and Jasper have claimed responsibility. Wish you were here. Love you, E xx ~

I replied.

~Serves him right. Use the camera on your phone! Miss you too, love you, B xx ~

I kept a careful watch on the clocks in the house as I moved from room to room. The hours passed so slowly when he wasn't near me and far too quickly when he was.

I found myself standing at the open glass doors in our bedroom when the front door bell rang. I panicked slightly at the thought of a human on the other side of the door and there being nobody here with me. I rationalized that I could ignore the bell and whoever it was would leave in a few minutes and I'd be fine.

I went down to the second floor and looked out of the massive windows either side of the door and saw that it was the usual delivery truck. Probably today's charm for my bracelet I thought idly as I descended the last of the steps.

I took a long, hard pull of the clean-ish air in the foyer before opening the door.

"I need a signature," the brown clad deliveryman said as he thrust his clipboard and pen at me. I nodded and signed my name as fast as I possibly could. He put a small package into my hands and went back to his van.

I leaned against the closed door and listened for the sound of his van leaving the gravel drive and hitting the tarmac that led to Forks proper. I exhaled, put my hand to my throat and smiled to myself. That would be 1-0 to Bella Swan Human-resistor-extraordinaire!

The package had my name on it so I tore into it excitedly. A tiny black satin pouch fell into my hand as the paper tore and I opened it eagerly. A tiny gold crescent moon on a little gold chain link fell into the palm of my hand and I looked at it quizzically. It was lovely, dainty and it would look beautiful on my bracelet but I couldn't explain the significance. And knowing Edward as I did I knew it had to have some relevance that I was missing. The usual lilac card popped out of it and I read it dreamily. 'My darling Isabella, with thirty days left until you join me fully in this life I want you to have a piece of our past to hold onto. This crescent moon is to remind you of our time at our cabin. Our haven. Our Crescent Lake. I love you more than words can say, Edward xx'

I snapped the tiny link into place on my bracelet beside the violets and gazed at it in wonder. Our haven. I sighed and reached for my phone again.

**EPOV**

"_Why won't you tell me Edward?" _Alice was whining at lunchtime. I was trying my best to ignore her and the hundred other children in the room who were **still** gossiping about my upcoming nuptuals. Alice had been silently pleading with me to tell her why we were going to Italy but I had held off so far. _"You can't just take off with four weeks left before your wedding with no explanation. If it's something big I have a right to know." _She tried her hardest to sound fierce in her mind but remain serene on the outside, which just cracked me up.

She slid her chair back and as she stormed past me she slapped me upside my head. I growled at her but she flipped me off as she went through the double doors into the hall.

"_Dude, she's pissed, like seriously pissed." _Jasper was cringing as Alice' emotional state overwhelmed him.

"A few days Jaz, that's all we're asking for. A few days to ourselves, then we'll share." I whispered. Jasper nodded, so did Rose but Emmett scowled at me menacingly. Wtf?

"_If there is something wrong with my new sissy we have a right to know Dickward. Rushed plans to leave the country aren't cool dude." _Emmett thundered in his head and I winced at the sound of his frustration and pain.

"There's nothing wrong Em, I swear it." I said quietly but to no avail. He stormed off in the same direction Alice had fled. Shit, we just wanted a few days was that so fucking much to ask for in the scheme of things?

Jasper and Rose stayed seated but they both turned slightly away from me. I felt my phone vibrate and hoped like hell it was Bella. I needed the distraction before I gave in and just spilled my guts.

~Our haven. Swoon. Wish we were there right now. Thank you so much, I love it, and you, of course. How goes your day? B xx~

I groaned loudly and realized the two extremely nosy vampires sitting at my table were instantly on alert. "Don't panic, just Bella thanking me for today's charm for her bracelet." They both turned their backs the second my statement was done.

~I'm going to crack, I know it. Alice is pissed, Emmett just stormed out of the cafeteria, Rose looks ready to explode and Jasper is reciting eulogies in his head to break me down. Help! E xx~

I flipped the phone shut but left it on the table in front of me. If she didn't reply by the time the bell went for the next class I was ditching and going home to her. Fuck school, fuck gossipmongers and fuck pissing fucking nosy assed siblings whose only reason for existing was to torture me and make my good news into a fight for information. Fuckers.

'_What the fuck Ed? Do you need one of us to take you away for a bit, your control is minimal, I can feel it?' _Jasper turned towards me as he thought it as if he needed confirmation that my feelings were real.

I didn't even bother replying. I scooped my phone up and stormed off towards my next lesson. I slammed my fist into the cinderblock wall outside the gym on my way and felt the cement crumble as my fingers made a perfect fist shaped indent in them. Bastards! Of all people I should be able to count on my family to cut me a little slack. I'd been keeping their secrets and shit for decades and now that I finally, finally had a secret of my own they treat me like a pariah! Ungrateful, miserable sons of bitches!

Maybe once Bella has the baby we should fuck off somewhere, just be a family together for a bit. Just me her and our baby, like it should be. Screw the lot of them!

My phone began to vibrate in my pocket and I instantly felt a calm come over me. Bella…but no, it wasn't a text, it was a call. Alice.

"What, you wanted to scream at me some more?" I sneered down the phone at her.

"Oh Edward, don't leave us." Alice sobbed.

"What?" I asked.

"I saw you, you were living away from us and not just at the cottage either. I'm sorry I got cross. I'm sorry Edward. Please don't leave us, don't leave me. Don't take Bella away from us." She was crying loudly now.

"Stay there." I shouted and closed the phone. Within seconds I had her round the waist hugging her tightly to me as she sobbed. I dragged her behind the building and held her as she cried. I could see flashes of her vision going through her mind as she cried against my chest. In a way I was comforted that she could only see me and Bella in a house that wasn't here, Denali or the cottage but not for long. Fear overtook me and I dropped to my knees in the grass. If Alice couldn't see our baby did that mean we didn't have a baby for her to see? Was something going to happen to it?

**BPOV**

"I feel fantastic actually. Did Edward tell you I've been able to actually sleep?" I asked Carlisle as I laid down on the bed for his examination.

"He mentioned it yesterday, yes. Have you slept today at all?"

"No, not today." I answered. I wasn't tired, yet. I knew I would be later on this evening though. I'd slept again last night, only for a few hours but real sleep nonetheless.

"You've hunted since we last spoke?" He asked as he ran his hands over my belly and up my ribcage.

"Yes, a couple of times. I haven't thrown up again though." He nodded and turned to write something on his file.

"I'd like to weigh you today so we can keep a record of it." He held out his hand and led me into our bathroom. He produced a pair of scales and put them on the tiled floor. "I'll leave a copy of this chart in here, you weigh yourself in the mornings and again before you turn in for the night and I'll collect it every few days, alright?" He asked and I nodded. I got onto the scales and he wrote down my weight on the little chart. He motioned for me to go back into the bedroom and I sat on the end of the bed.

"Have you learned anything new?" I asked gingerly.

"A little, yes. There is mention of a South American girl who is the product of a human mother and vampire father. So we'll have more than one source of information, which is always a plus. I've spoken to a few _people_ overseas but none of them have had any experience with this, but I'll keep trying. I have a few more calls to make today. Edward's major concern is your health Bella. He wants me to concentrate on information regarding the health of the mother after the baby is delivered." He said this very quietly and I tried very, very hard not to hear the pain in his voice as he said it.

"I'm not scared Carlisle. This baby is a miracle, I'll take what comes." I said truthfully.

He patted my knee, kissed me on the cheek and stood. "Good girl. Right, I'm going back to work, Esme won't be long, are you okay here?" He asked and I nodded.

"Yeah thanks. I collected my charm today, look," I held out my bracelet for him to inspect and he smiled down at me, "and I didn't even feel like killing the courier." I smiled proudly.

"Incredible." He muttered as he left the room.

I had heard my cell phone beeping as Carlisle had come home so I raced into the kitchen to see who the message was from. My heart clenched when I read what Edward had written. He'd be so upset if he spilled his guts. He needed my help but there wasn't anything I could do for him from here. It was a simple decision to make. I grabbed the keys to the Elise. As I hit the tarmac at the end of the drive I put my phone in its holder and dialed Esme.

"Hello dear, everything alright?" Her sweet voice came to me as I turned onto the highway.

"I'm fine Esme, Edward's not. He's freaking out because the others are pissed he's keeping secrets. I'm on my way to the school to collect him. Don't worry though, I wont get out of the car. I just didn't want you to worry when you got home and I wasn't there."

"Oh, alright dear, if you think that's best." She didn't sound convinced.

"You don't think that's best then?" I bit my lip in hesitation.

"Well, no, not really. This is all very new for you both, I understand that. But you'll both have to learn to deal with separations and definitely with the others being pissed as you put it. If you race there and rescue him I doubt it will help Bella."

She didn't say it to be mean, I knew that. She was so quiet, careful, I knew she had our best interest at heart. I slowed the Elise and sat at the edge of the highway for a few moments to collect my thoughts.

"You're right Esme. Thank you. I'll meet you at home." she told me she was only a few minutes away from the house and I pushed end on the call and turned the car around and headed home. This was just so damn hard.

As I reached the driveway I took my phone and replied to Edward's text as best I could without giving away how close I'd come to giving in just now.

~I know its tough baby, but it's worth it to hold onto our secret for a bit longer. We can do this, we just have to present a united front. Be brave for me, I love you, Bella xx ~

Esme parked beside me and folded me into her arms as we went into the house to put her shopping away.

**EPOV**

"Edward, what is it? Please don't keep me out, please…" Alice begged as she sat beside me in the grass. I put my head in my hands and tried to concentrate on the visions she was rummaging through. She was trying to find the trigger for my fear, my anxiety, and my panic just now. I was ashamed that I kept up my obviously distressed stance a little longer than I would have normally in order to see what she was seeing.

The same picture over and over again, Bella and myself in a house that wasn't a family house, not a Cullen family house. No baby. Just Bella and myself. We seemed happy. But no baby.

"Alice, please don't ask me to share this with you yet." I asked as I stood and straightened my clothes a little. I tried to hold onto the theory that Alice didn't know she was looking for a baby, so she couldn't see one. I took her hands in mine and thought hard about how to appease her as best I could. "There is nothing wrong, per se. I will promise you that. I won't leave Alice, we won't leave. It was just an errant thought, I was angry, that's all. We won't leave." Her tiny hands were trembling in mine and I knew I'd upset her. I was sorry for that, she didn't deserve to be unhappy so that I could keep my secret. "I was just cross Alice, we just want some privacy, just for a little bit, that's all."

"You can't take her away from us Edward. We love her too." She said quietly as she came to my arms and let me fold her up against my chest. "Jasper says you want a few days, do you?" She asked.

"Yes Alice, just a few days for this to be just Bella and my own secret. Then we'll share, I promise."

"Is she okay Edward? I know she's been meeting with Carlisle. Please just tell me that?" She begged and I couldn't keep that from her.

"Yes Alice, she is well. Very, very well indeed. Come on little one, class is almost over so we may as well head to the car." She let me lead her to her car but we were both silent. Alice was thinking about what the secret could be but I was thinking about Alice' vision of me and Bella, alone, in that house.

My phone vibrated in my pocket and I grinned at Bella's text. Yes Bella, I'll be brave a bit longer. These fuckers won't break me that easily. I'm one hundred and nine years old and I'm finally going to be a father, nothing can break me now I thought smugly.

As my siblings made their way down the hill towards the parking lot Alice stiffened beside me and I experienced her vision with her. Seth was again going to be bothered by Mike Newton and another, bigger boy, on his way to the bus. This despite being warned off by Seth only a few days ago. I'd have to sort this out before one of them got seriously hurt.

**BPOV**

Esme was in her usual spot on the sofa – giggling at me as I paced - in the living room when they arrived home from school. Edward was through the door and in my arms before Alice had switched her little Porsche off, again.

He swept me out the backdoor and down the yard into the forest so fast I didn't even have time to say hello to the others. We ran for a few miles before he pulled up in the clearing I knew to be his 'hidey hole of misery'.

He spun me around and buried his nose in my hair and kissed me all down my neck and throat and then up to my lips. It was like he was making a mental map of the way I felt in his mind.

'_I know that was rude, to run you out of the house like that…oh god, Bella…I fucking hate it…all fucking day…I love you Bella…'_ he thought as his lips traced the same route from my ear to my collarbone and back again.

"I love you Edward, so much…Jesus, today was…oh shit, I hate it too." I mumbled as his teeth found purchase in the flesh of my throat.

'_I upset Alice…nosy biatch…Jasper is still pissed at me for it…Christ you feel so good baby.' _His mental voice was tinged with desperation.

I ran my hands through his hair and pulled his face away from my skin for a moment. I giggled slightly at his glazed look and then I ran my hands down his face, across his jaw line and down his chest. I settled them at his hips and waited for his breathing to calm slightly. "What happened Edward?" I asked quietly.

"Alice was just at me, you know, at me all day. I didn't get a single second to just be. Those bastard children are still gossiping about us getting married and then Emmett stormed off because I wouldn't tell him what was going on with you. So I had Alice and Em mad, then Jasper and Rose were pissed because I'd upset the other two. Fuck!" He yelled and ran his hand through his hair.

"Well, maybe we should just tell them then?" I winced as I said it because I knew the way it would go, it would be huge and we'd never get another moments peace ever. But we weren't getting any peace now either.

"That's the simple solution, I agree, but why should we?" I could tell from his frame of mind that he was angry now and feeling a little resentful of all the times he'd kept his mouth shut for the others.

"Is there a compromise to be had do you think?" I didn't know if there was, I couldn't see it if it existed.

"I don't know." He moved away from me and began to pace in front of me. "It's already not fair that Carlisle and Esme know. It's going to be worse all round if the others find out they knew way before them. Then there's Charlie and Renee and the wolves will have to be informed." His pacing sped up a little and I could hear him running through scenarios in his head how best to tell them all at once so nobody was offended they weren't told first.

"I agree Edward. We need them all in the same room together. Can we make that happen?" I asked.

Suddenly he had scooped me up into his arms and he was swinging me around and around telling me how brilliant I was. He put me back on my feet and kissed me soundly on the lips. His smile lit up his whole face as he tucked me against his chest and hugged me tightly.

"You're a genius Isabella. It was supposed to be a surprise but tonight they are all going to be at your parent's house." He grinned down at me.

"What? Why?" I thought we were just going for a quick trial visit with Renee and Charlie.

"We missed Thanksgiving so Renee and Esme have organized to have it tonight, all together. Even the wolves will be there. We can tell them all at the same time. What do you think?"

"I think it's a fabulous idea. We'll have to do it quick though, I don't know how long I'll be able to be in the house. I'm getting better at it, I didn't eat the delivery guy today and I was home alone…" I didn't get to finish that sentence before Edward was scowling and hissing at me.

"What do you mean you were home alone? With a human in the doorway? What the fuck Bella? Where was Esme?" he hissed.

"She went to the city to pick something up. I was fine Edward. I just held my breath and didn't speak. No harm done. Calm down." I patted him on the chest in the hope that he'd settle down a bit. I wasn't worried about it at all.

**EPOV**

Jesus Christ! I leave her for six hours, six hours! That's all! Six stinking fucking hours out of my sight and Esme drops the ball! Incredible.

"No Edward. It's not like that. I could've ignored the doorbell. I could've run out the back door and gone to hunt if I had a problem with it, but I was fine." She was trying hard to placate me but I was furious.

"You shouldn't be left here to fend for yourself with a thirst Bella, ever. We didn't do that to her when she was a newborn, I can't believe she did it to you." I stormed.

"Oh for fucks sake Edward, give it up will you!" Bella screamed into my gaping mouth. "I'm not fucking useless, I'm not fragile anymore and I certainly don't need babysitting Edward. Come on. I'm fucking immortal for crying out loud!" She was pissed now. Crap. She shouldn't get stressed, it can't be good for her or the baby.

"No, of course you don't need babysitting love. But Esme still shouldn't have left you here alone. And not just because you're only weeks old but because we have a duty to protect the humans we live near, from ourselves love." I tried not to be condescending; I really didn't want to berate her. I was so very proud of her, her self-control was flawless, and I was eaten by jealousy for it. But I needed her to see both sides of the coin in front of her face.

I felt her mood change around us as she calmed down in my arms. She lowered her glowering eyes, now a rich burgundy colour instead of the blazing ruby they'd been a few weeks ago. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and tugged her tightly into my chest. I kissed her hair and held her silently for a few minutes.

"You're right Edward, sorry for ranting." She whispered into my chest and I smiled.

"We're good at this now, aren't we?" I chuckled against her hair.

"What?" She asked.

"Fighting. Arguing, disagreeing, whatever this is. We're getting better at it. You didn't threaten to kill me once just then." I laughed loudly.

I felt her whole body shake as the laughter traveled from her chest and out her beautiful pouting lips.

"You know I could take you." She shrilled as she took off in the direction of the northern forest and her preferred bobcats favorite hiding places.

"I've booked us for the 13th. Home again the 16th. You'll only need to miss three days of work that way, with your flexi-day being the Monday we leave." I told Carlisle as we sat opposite each other in the hospital cafeteria.

"Excellent. I'll let them know now that I'll need those few days. It wont be a problem, I'm owed vacation time, seeing as I never seem to need a rest." He chuckled and he swirled his coffee around in the mug.

"We're going to tell everyone tonight, at the dinner." I stated simply.

"I thought as much. Alice get too much did she?" He asked smirking.

"Something like that." I sighed. "So Bella tells me you've found another? South America?"

"Yes. A female. Apparently in perfect health for want of a better word. I've put a call in to a friend of mine near there and hopefully I'll hear before we leave on our little trip." He took out his cell phone and shook his head slightly at the lack of a message, then put it back in his coat pocket. "Where is Bella now?"

"She's asleep actually. We don't have to be at Charlie's till seven so she's having a nap now. No problems on the hunt just now either, she seems to have held it down without issue." I felt safe telling him this as we were practically alone and I was speaking so fast I doubted humans could interpret what was being said even if they could hear it.

"Excellent, that's good news. From the Italian documented case study it seems the mother was reluctant to be changed so I'm not sure how much use the information will be to us, but it's worth checking out anyway."

"So there is no information available about the fate of the mother afterward then?" I asked, seeing the answer in his thoughts before he shook his head.

"Bella is remarkably calm about it all." He said simply and I nodded.

"Isn't she always?" I laughed.

**BPOV**

I woke to the sound of Alice knocking on the bedroom door. "Come in Alice" I called hoping she hadn't been knocking for too long. I didn't want anyone to know that I could actually sleep, yet. I glanced at the bedside clock and noted it was now six o'clock, I'd need to get moving now anyway.

"Hey." She said as she came into the room and sat on the side of the bed.

"Hey. How was your day?" I asked.

"So-so. I upset Edward, but I'm sure he's told you how horrid I am already." She cast her eyes down and my heart melted. I patted the bed beside me and she snuggled in beside me, letting me wrap an arm over her.

"He said no such thing. I wouldn't listen anyway. He's just a grumpy old man, you know that." I giggled.

"I'm just worried Bella. You've not said what the outcome of your meeting with Carlisle was that day and today Edward was plotting to take you away from us. To live by yourselves."

I was shocked, Edward didn't say anything about this. "I didn't know that Alice. We wouldn't, we couldn't. You know that. The cottage doesn't count, either." I added hastily.

"Bella your future keeps disappearing from me, do you know why?" she sounded so sad, so worried I almost gave in and put her mind at ease. But then I thought of how Edward had struggled all day with it and how brave he'd been and I pulled back. It was only another couple of hours anyway and she'd know everything. So I stalled.

"Alice, I do know why and I do want to tell you, but I can't, not yet. I can tell you that you'll know come sun up tomorrow though, if that helps." I braced myself for the squealing and she didn't disappoint.

"Really?" She squealed and bounced up and down on the bed beside me. "You'll tell us all tonight? Oh thank you Bella, thank you. I'm so relieved. I'm going to go tell the others they can stop hating you both now." She laughed and ran from the room just as Edward came in through the open door grinning.

"Apparently they hate us equally." He smirked as he crossed to the bed and sat down beside me. "How did you sleep love?" he kissed me on the cheek and took my hand in his, rolling my engagement ring between his fingers.

"Perfectly Edward, perfectly." I smiled up at him.

'This is it Bella' Edward thought as we sat in the Elise in my parents driveway. He pulled my wrist to his lips and kissed my hand. I smiled at him but his eyes were dark and I knew he was nervous.

"It will be okay, we can do this." I whispered. "I can smell the grill, Charlie has set this up outside so I'll be fine. I can just keep my distance, it will be much easier outdoors than in." I tried to assuage his rising apprehension.

"I love you Bella, if you don't want to tell them now we won't. God, they'll be horrendous, you know that right?" He grimaced and I nodded. I didn't need to be able to read minds or see the future to know that was true.

I slid the key out of the ignition and pocketed it then opened the door, steeling myself for the first whiff of dog and human.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25EPOV

I watched her shudder slightly as the mixed scents hit her nose but she shook it off and took my hand, leading me around the side of the house to the backyard where the party was already in full swing.

Bella and I stood at the edge of the group for a long while. I knew they could all see us and they knew we knew, but nobody made a move to come closer. Everyone had been apprised of the need to let Bella do this in her own time, if she could.

'Everyone is saying hello to you in their minds Bella. But they'll let us stand here as long as you need, love. No hurry.' I told her and felt her squeeze my hand in recognition.

I took half a second to scope the area, seven wolves, in their human form, were dotted about the place talking and laughing either with each other or various members of my family or theirs. There were several girls in amongst the wolves that I didn't know and assumed they were the wives and girlfriends of the assembled pack.

Alice and Rosalie were chatting with Leah and another older woman I didn't know. She was obviously a native, probably a parent to one of the wolves present. Esme and Renee were deep in conversation off to the edge of the patio. They were perched on a suspended swing, rocking gently back and forth, and had a magazine spread out in the space between them. Renee was espousing the benefits of a good facial moisturizer. I almost laughed out loud as Esme pointed out she didn't need one.

Bella was also looking around checking who was speaking to whom and probably listening to the conversations as well. She didn't seem tense but neither was she ready to join them.

Emmett and Jasper were with Sam and Seth deeper in the backyard and were tossing a football back and forth as they talked about the latest Xbox game on the market.

Charlie stood at the grill, turning over what looked like lumps of dirt on the grill plate. He had a beer in his hand, as did his companion, Carlisle. The scene was so hilarious I couldn't help the burst of laughter that leapt from my throat. All eyes turned to me but nobody said anything, out loud anyway. Carlisle smiled at us both and tilted his unopened beer in our direction in salute but went back to his conversation with Charlie.

"They're so normal." Bella whispered beside me.

'They think they are, anyway' I chuckled as I thought it and heard Bella laugh beside me. Anyone stumbling across the scene would think it was any other family backyard BBQ, not a collection of mythical creatures putting centuries of distrust and violence aside for a mutual friend and family member.

"I'm okay Edward, shall we?" Bella motioned towards the group with her free hand and I smiled in wonder at her strength.

'I won't leave your side baby, you run if you need to.' I told her as we took our first steps into the backyard.

Seth was the first to come to us and I felt Bella tense slightly as he came toward her. As his scent flooded over her she relaxed, realizing his change was complete and he no longer posed a temptation for her.

"Hey Bella, Edward. Good to see you." He held out his fist and I bumped it eagerly. I didn't want my petty jealousy to prevent us having a friendship, a kinship, so I let it go.

**BPOV**

Edward was trying so hard not to be jealous and I was so proud of him. I stepped eagerly into Seth's offered hug and felt a warm flood of love for the boy wash over me. He was special, he always would be. "You've finished?" I asked him and he stepped backwards to let me see him fully. He was much, much taller than ever the last time I'd seen him just a few days ago. He was also broader, his shoulders were wide and his muscled forearms showed the same definition his pack brothers shared.

"Yesterday I phased for the first time, scared the shit out of me. Sorry Esme." I heard all the Cullen family members chuckle, except for Esme who groaned, as Seth adopted a favorite phrase when cursing in our house.

"Ladykiller, that's what you are." I ruffled his hair and he blushed crimson.

"Come and meet my mom you guys." He waved to where Alice and Rose sat with Leah. Edward and I followed him and stood in front of the large native woman as Seth introduced us to her. "Mom this is Bella Swan and Edward Cullen. Guys, this is my mom, Sue."

Edward held his hand out and shook hers but I just smiled. She was human, full human, and I didn't know if I could handle touching one as yet. Her scent was not strong though, a mild ache backed up the back of my throat but no worse than when I was actually thirsty so I ignored it as I greeted Seth's mother.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Sue. You must be very proud of this one?" I nudged Seth in the ribs and he winced in mock pain.

"It's nice to finally meet you Bella, Edward." Sue nodded her head in greeting then continued. "I owe you both so much, for protecting them." She moved her head around the small space and I knew she meant the whole pack. "Are you well now Bella?" she asked.

"I am, thank you." I wanted to keep my speaking to a minimum, every breath I took in order to force words out increased my ache.

"We'll leave you in the annoying but very capable hands of my sisters, Bella should speak with her parents before her…while she can." Edward said reverently to Sue then turned to Seth, "Seth, I'll need a word before we leave, alright son?" Sue nodded slightly and it seemed as though everyone had been prepped for what to expect from me, I was grateful to whomever it was that had taken the time.

Alice stuck her tongue out at Edward and Rosalie flipped him off but he merely smiled widely at them and led me to where Esme and my mom sat on the swing. Esme stood and came to stand on my right as Renee rose slowly from the swing.

"Bella you look wonderful baby girl. How are you feeling today?" Renee asked me. I had the same overwhelming impulse to hug her as I had that first day but tried my best to rein it in.

"I'm fantastic mom." I smiled as widely as I could to make up for my lack of articulation. It seemed as though Renee wanted to reach for me too. I was desperate to feel her arms around me, like she had so often before. I looked to Edward and wished for the first time ever that he could read me without being …well…that he could read me. I leaned over to him and whispered so my mother couldn't hear me, "I'm going to hug her, just quickly, be ready." I felt his hand increase its pressure in mine as he startled.

'Are you sure?' he asked silently and I nodded my head. 'Okay love, just run if you can't,' and I nodded again.

I turned back to Renee and saw the confusion on her face. I hoped she wasn't worried and that she'd let me hug her, I'd never thought of that before, that she might be frightened and not want me to hug her. Maybe I should ask first?

"Mom, I want to hug you, is that okay?" I said quietly, trying to limit my air intake.

"Oh baby, yes, that's okay, if you're sure?" she began to hop excitedly.

I nodded and closed the gap between us slightly. I felt Esme step with me, keeping herself as close as possible without intruding on the moment. I reached for my mother as she reached for me and I sunk into the embrace with a deep, satisfied sigh. "I love you mom." I whispered against her cheek as I held her, carefully, in my arms. I didn't know how much pressure to exert, I knew I could hurt her very easily, so I kept it as soft as I could.

'I love you baby, god you're amazing.' Edward was thinking as I patted my mother on her back and withdrew until we were once again standing face to face, a few feet between us now.

I turned and smiled at Edward who was beaming at me and then I turned to Renee who had the most beatific grin on her face. "I love you mom." I said softly and turned and fled to the woods just beyond the yard.

**EPOV**

I knew she would run I'd sensed it as she squeezed my hand. She was in complete control though so I didn't feel the need to follow her too swiftly. I turned to Renee who still had the glazed look of someone in awe. "She's fine Mom. She just needs a moment and I'm sure she'll be back, are you alright?" I asked.

"I'm fantastic Edward." And she flung herself at me and hugged me tightly to her. I stared openly at Esme who held her hand to her heart for me to see. I closed my eyes briefly and hugged Renee back. "She amazing." Renee mumbled as she stepped back away from me and settled back onto the swing.

"She is indeed. Excuse me a moment ladies." I bowed slightly and flew off into the trees.

I could hear her about a mile and a half to the west, she had something underneath her but it wasn't large. She'd hunt quickly and return to where I stood, I knew it as surely as I knew how proud of herself she was right now.

Four minutes later I heard her footfalls as she ran towards me and flung herself up into my arms, slamming herself into my chest. "I did it. I did it. I did it." She shouted into my throat as I spun her around.

"I'm so proud of you Bella. I love you so much. How do you feel now?" I asked as I stepped away and looked her over from head to toe.

"Brilliant. I feel brilliant. Like I could take on the world Edward. Come on, let's go back, I want to see Charlie next." She grabbed my hand and tugged me out of the trees and back to the party. Every eye was turned in our direction as we walked hand in hand across the lawn and came to stand in front of Charlie and Carlisle at the grill.

"Hey Bell's. You did so well kiddo. You okay now?" Charlie asked, his eyes dancing with pride.

"Yeah dad, I'm great. Is it okay if I hug you now?" She asked tentatively.

"Of course, your mother can't have all the fun." He grinned as Bella nodded to Carlisle who came to stand on her left as Esme had done.

Bella closed the distance between them and then enveloped Charlie in a tight hug. He groaned audibly in pleasure at being able to hold his daughter again so soon and I took particular pride in his mental thoughts. 'You made her strong Edward, thank you for giving her back to me.'

Bella stepped away from her father but kept hold of his hand as they parted. "Dad, I love you so much." She whispered and Charlie's moustache twitched in pleasure.

"I love you too Bell's. Go, run, feed." He nodded towards the woods and she was gone before he turned his eyes back to me. I could feel my mouth gaping open at his use of the word 'feed' but could do nothing about it. I was struck dumb momentarily. "Close your mouth Edward. You do that a lot huh?" He chuckled as he and Carlisle returned to the grill.

Bella didn't run quite so far this time. She sated her thirst on a small deer only a few hundred yards from where I stood in the tree line and then wandered back to me. "I'm so glad I could do that." She muttered as she came to stand beside me and put her hand in mine.

"Dinner is ready Bella, so we can stay here for a bit longer while the humans partake if you'd like?" I asked.

"No, I'm okay. Lets just go and sit with the family while the others eat." She grinned at me and we walked hand in hand back into the yard once more.

**BPOV**

I was floating on cloud nine as we went back to the party the second time. As the humans began to fill their plates Edward and I slipped onto the log in between Rosalie and Alice.

"Hey" Alice said as I put my arm round her shoulders. "You did good." She nudged me and I smiled.

"Thanks."

"How do you feel now?" Rose asked.

"Excellent actually." I smiled at her and she squeezed my shoulder in response.

"You're going to spill your guts right after dinner though, right?" Alice asked and Edward cracked up.

"Give it up you annoying pixie." He barked as she threw him a spiteful look.

"Hey Bella, Edward." Sam stood in front of me with a girl beside him who could only be Emily. She had a deep gash from eyebrow to lip that I knew had been caused when Sam lost control early on in his transformation from man to wolf. "Bella this is my fiancé Emily, Emily this is Bella Swan, soon to be Cullen though. And this is Edward Cullen." He smiled. Edward shook his hand and then Emily's and then returned to sitting on Alice's right.

I stood and let Sam hug me as Seth had done and I nodded and smiled at Emily, another human. She didn't seem to mind that I didn't offer to shake her hand though, well prepped I thought again. "How are you Sam?"

"Very well, thank you. And yourself?" He asked.

"Better everyday, thanks." He nodded once and went back to his place on the steps with his pack as they ate their huge plates full.

I looked around at the gathered crowd and saw that everyone who was important to me was here, in one setting, for the first time. It was odd to see my father sitting between my mother's knees as he sat on the ground eating his burger. They looked so happy, really happy. Renee was picking at her bun with one hand and was running her fingers through the hair at Charlie's neck with the other. I caught Edward's eye and nodded slightly towards them and waited for his impression.

'They look happy.' Was all he said and I nodded again. They did.

Emmett, Jasper and Carlisle were sitting beside us in a huddle discussing the merits of the offside rule while waiting for the humans to finish their meal.

I saw Edward rise and move towards Seth, he said he needed a word and Seth excused himself from where he sat between Sam and Paul on the steps. I watched Edward stop by where Em sat, he tapped him on the shoulder and motioned for Emmett to follow. The three boys walked off towards the trees.

**EPOV**

"Let's take a little run Seth my boy." I grinned and he squared his shoulders ready to take off. He was quick too. He easily kept up with Emmett but was no match for me.

We made it to the river in minutes, all three of us laughing and joking as we came to a sliding halt at the waters edge.

I slapped Seth on the back and listened as Emmett wondered what prompted this little spurt of energy.

"Seth here is having a little problem I thought you might be able to help him with Em." I nodded towards Seth. I wanted him to explain it to Emmett himself but it seemed he was too embarrassed.

"You tell him Edward." Seth sighed.

"Fine. Douche-Newton and another bigger boy are manhandling our brother here Em. Seth is worried he'll hurt them, permanently, if he fights back. I thought a little time spent with you might lead him in the direction of defensive rather than offensive attack?" I posed it as a question hoping Emmett wouldn't let me down and catch on.

"Sure dude. No problem." Emmett put his arm around Seth's shoulders and they wandered off along the curve of the river. I left them to it and headed back to the party.

An hour or so later both Emmett and Seth rejoined the gathering. Seth nudged me on his way past and Emmett fist bumped me and told me silently that it was all in hand. I smiled knowing Emmett would now be looking out for Seth too.

'I think it's time we put these kind folks out of their misery Ms Swan' I told Bella silently and she nodded and smiled. I took a deep breath and stood to offer Bella my hand. She stood and took it and we headed over to stand at the foot of the stairs where everyone gathered could see us clearly. Carlisle and Esme were beaming, because they already knew. Alice was bouncing rapidly and my other siblings were poised ready to pounce at the first sign of good news.

The wolves were on edge and a fair few of them, and their partners, were wondering what we were about to say. Most thought we were just going to say thank you for coming. Charlie and Renee thought the same and I smiled a little and reminded myself to watch them both closely as we shared our news.

Bella squeezed my hand and whispered that she wanted to say something first so I swept my hand in front of her and gave her the floor, much to the amusement of my siblings who mentally told me how whipped I was.

"We missed Thanksgiving because I was…um…indisposed." Everyone snickered but she continued. "Thanks to my two mom's for organizing this and thanks to my two dads for the meal." All four 'parents' beamed at her as she nodded in their direction. "I don't know how long I'll be able to speak, but thanks, everyone. I love you all, so much." She had reached her limit and I heard and felt her take in a deep breath and hold it, blocking out the combined scents around her as best she could.

I stepped forward a little but kept her at my side as I spoke. "I'd like to thank you all too, for being so supportive of my Bella and for coming tonight." I took one last look at Bella to make sure she was really okay with me sharing our secret and she nodded and gripped my waist tighter in support so I plowed on. "We have some news we'd like to share while we're all here together. It's pretty rare that everyone we love is in one place at one time, so felt it was the best time to share it. Bella and I are having a baby."

And then all hell broke loose as everyone at the gathering threw themselves at us.

**BPOV**

I looked straight to where my parents were sitting so I could see their reaction first and I wasn't disappointed. My mother burst into tears and my fathers face went puce instantly.

Alice was off her feet and hugging me before Edward had finished the sentence so I had to look over her shoulder to see Charlie and Renee and when I found them again they were hugging each other tightly.

"How? I mean, obviously I know how, but how?" Alice was screeching as she hugged Edward.

"We'll explain that later." He grinned as Alice stepped back and let Rose hug him while Emmett swung me around and around and patted my tummy affectionately.

"You're fucking amazing sissy, sorry Esme." He crooned as his giant hand splayed out across my still flat belly. "I knew you would liven things up around here." He grinned and I kissed his dimpled cheek.

Jasper elbowed him out of the way and hugged me to him carefully. "I'm so happy for you Bella. You'll be a great mom." He whispered against my ear as he held me.

"Thanks Jaz, you'll be an amazing uncle." I said and I saw his face light up with the idea of being someone's uncle.

Both boys stepped across to congratulate their brother while Rose hugged me tightly and kissed my cheek. "I can't believe it Bella. How exciting, we'll have a baby in the house!" She shouted. "Thank god you chose him." She whispered into my ear as she hugged me again. It was the most amazing thing she could've said. When I thought back on the conversations we'd had since my change I came to realize just how significant this news was to Rosalie. I'd make sure she could share as much of this with us as possible.

Sam stood before me with a huge grin on his face. "I'm so happy for you both. I don't understand how it's possible but then again, you guys aren't supposed to be possible." He laughed. I stepped into his hug and let him pat me on the back as he came to grips with our news.

"Thanks Sam."

Now Esme stood before me, with her hand over her heart and I copied the gesture as she pulled me into her arms. "Congratulations Bella. I'm so glad I can tell you that now."

"Thank you mom." I said and felt her sigh in delight at the term.

"Your parents want to know if they can come talk to you for a bit?" She asked and I nodded. She waved to both Charlie and Renee then moved across to hug Edward tightly.

My parents stood, arm in arm mind you, in front of me and told me how happy they were for us. "Carlisle says he'll explain it more to us later and that you'll need to find out some more information, but for now we should just be happy." Charlie said and I nodded.

"Thanks mom, dad." I whispered carefully.

"I'm coming by tomorrow Bell's, so we'll talk some more then okay?" My mom asked and I nodded. I was just about spent. My thirst was clawing at my throat now and I was tired and wanted to be alone with Edward.

I watched as my parents both hugged Edward tightly and then they went back to the swing with Esme and Carlisle.

I was about to ask him to take me home when I felt a tug on my wrist. Seth stood before me with an unreadable expression on his face. He seemed upset, possibly angry but for the life of my I couldn't work out why. He stepped closer and I took him into a hug. "It's okay Seth, I really am okay you know." I whispered and felt him relax in my arms.

"I'm so happy for you guys." He whispered back. As we broke apart he gave Edward a quick glance then he leant forward and kissed my cheek.

He held his hand out for Edward who shook it eagerly. "Congrats man." Seth said through his huge smile.

"Thanks Seth. Come by soon yeah?" He asked and Seth nodded.

He turned to go back to his seat but stopped in front of me once again. He put his hand on my wrist and squeezed gently before going back to sit beside his sister.

And then we were left standing at the foot of the steps gazing at each other lovingly. 'I want to take you home to bed now Bella.' I heard him think and I smiled.

"Yes." Was all I said and he was off, making our goodbyes to all and sundry. Within minutes we were back in the Elise and speeding back to the Cullen house and our bed.

**EPOV**

"You were amazing." I told her as she slipped beneath the covers of our bed. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her across my chest.

"I'm so happy they know now." She mumbled already well on her way to sleep.

I kissed the top of her head and began to hum her lullaby. "I love you Isabella." I whispered as sleep overtook her and she went slack in my arms.

We lay like that for a few hours and then I began to hear my families' thoughts as they neared the house after the party. I pulled my arm out from under Bella and settled her onto the pillows and made to dress.

My shredded clothes lay in a heap on the floor with Bella's. I chuckled smugly as I thought of how our evening had ended in a tangle of limbs as I'd loved her thoroughly.

I closed the door behind me as quietly as I could and went downstairs to greet the family in the living room.

Alice came to me at the foot of the stairs and hugged me again.

"Tell us what you know." She shrieked and I grimaced.

"Stop doing that Alice, you'll wake Bella." I huffed before I realized what I'd said.

"What do you mean 'wake' her?" Emmett yelped.

"Ah…yeah…well, Bella is asleep." I grinned at him.

"You mean she's resting, right?" Rose asked.

"No, actually I don't mean that. She's really asleep. Not for long though, a few hours at most so far." I felt so powerful, possessing new information and being able to stun them like this.

"Jeez. What I wouldn't give for a few hours of actual sleep!" Jasper chuckled and the others agreed heartily.

Carlisle and Esme joined us in the living room and took up a position at the end of the sofa. Alice went back and sat in Jasper's lap but I stayed at the foot of the stairs, preferring to sit on the glass riser in case Bella woke. I'd hear her from here and could be upstairs in a second if she stirred.

"Can you explain what you've told us Carlisle?" I asked and he nodded. The others all turned towards where he sat, eager for information.

While Carlisle explained what he knew, which admittedly wasn't much, I concentrated on the sounds coming from our room. The soft snuffling sound of Bella asleep calmed me as Carlisle theorized.

"So Bella is thirsty all the time, but no burning?" Emmett asked and I nodded. "So we should all hunt with her more often then, that's easy fixed. School's out next week so we'll all be around, we'll take turns yeah?" He asked the others and they all nodded their ascension. I grinned at them, all making plans to take care of her. She'd hate it but would probably go along with it to please them anyway.

"She'll need new clothes as her belly grows, we'll sort that out Edward." Alice was already thinking of what to buy and I grimaced.

"You're not going to be able to take a baby in the Veyron, or the Elise. I figure you'll want to use the Guardian. I'll soup up the safety. Leave it with me." Rose was already contemplating car seats and harness restraints. Jeez.

I listened as they all threw their opinions into the ring about what to organize, or do, next. The subject of the cottage came up and Esme said she was already on it. As well as the house in Denali for when we'd move on in a few years time.

"What about here Edward, in this house?" Carlisle asked. I'd not given it any thought though so I just shook my head and said I wasn't sure.

"We'll knock through into the attic space and make a whole new suite. It will be cool. Leave it with me." Emmett was beaming, having something to contribute himself.

"Bella and I planned to spend some time together anyway, once school was out, so I'll be able to keep her calm and stuff for you Ed." Jasper added. I shot him a wide smile and thanked him with a nod of my head.

I heard Alice form her question and winced. "Are the three of you going to Italy then?" Alice asked.

"Yes, on the 13th, but only for a few days." I answered. She was pissed that we were going to leg it so close to the wedding but knew it was important that we find out what we could while we could. "There'll be plenty of time for you to torture us when we get back Alice." I added to lighten her mental mood.

"I do not torture you Edward, I make adjustments to your style." She giggled.

"Are you sure Bella will be able to handle the flight Edward? Such an enclosed space for such a long time?" Rose asked.

I grinned smugly before I answered. "We aren't flying commercial Rosie." Carlisle was chuckling softly to himself and running over the flight plans in his head, desperately pleased he'd get to fly us himself.

"Oh, so big daddy Doc is flying you I assume?" Emmett howled.

"Big daddy Doc? I sometimes wonder about you Emmett. I know I didn't drop you on your head when I changed you, but perhaps your mother did when you were small?" Carlisle asked and everyone cracked up.

"Hey, that's just mean." Emmett pouted and Carlisle threw a cushion at his head. Esme swatted Carlisle for it but was laughing all the same.

"What do you know about this Nathaniel Carlisle?" Jasper asked.

"Not a lot. I know he's fully-grown and is somewhat of a hybrid, for want of a better description. He's half human in that he has a pulse and blood flows in his veins. He's half vampire in that he's strong and immortal. I don't now too much else. Aro, my friend in Italy will be able to tell me more when we get there as he is meeting with the boy, or man I'm not sure, in a few days time."

Alice was beginning to join the dots and I felt her mood shift, as did Jasper, as she asked the next question. "His mother Carlisle?"

"I don't know Alice." Carlisle said softly. "She didn't survive, from what I already know." The six vampires in front of me seemed to visibly slump in their seats. Their thoughts instantly turned to losing Bella in order for her to give me this child and I lost my grip on my temper momentarily.

"Right!" I roared as loudly as I could without waking Bella, "that's enough of that bullshit. You fuckers, sorry Esme, will not spend the next days and months moping about this. I don't want Bella worried and I don't want you lot wandering around treating her like she's got a ticking bomb inside her. That's my baby, our baby, inside her and I want her happy, got it?" I boomed down at them as I stalked along in front of the sofa. All of their thoughts moved to happier tones and I went back to sitting on the bottom step. I watched as Emmett was silently voted spokesperson for the group, he stood and moved to where I sat.

"Sorry dude. We'll be good, we promise. You've gotta be shitting yourself though right, sorry Esme?" He asked and I laughed.

"Of course I am, but right now I'm not who's important right?" I looked back at where they all sat and looked from one to the other as they thought about having a baby in the house to love. "I want what she wants. What happens to her happens to us all, but right now we can't dwell on what we don't know. We'll go to Italy, we'll find out. We'll come back, get married and have a baby. Right?" I pleaded with them and they all nodded silently.

"Okay dude, we do this your way." Emmett offered me his fist and I bumped it.

"Now you gotta shut up because Bella is waking up. I'll bring her down here but you can't interrogate her, right? If you do we'll leave." I shot this last part at Alice who cringed, but nodded.

**BPOV**

I could hear them talking and slowly rose to the surface of my sleep. I stretched long and hard and felt my belly with my fingers. No change yet, but Carlisle assured me it would happen soon.

Edward came into the room and stood at the foot of the bed grinning down at me languidly. 'My beautiful Bella' he thought as he watched me stretch out fully.

"How long did I sleep?" I asked, rolling over to see the bedside clock tick over midnight.

"Not long. The others are back, want to come and say hi? They're dying to see you." He smiled.

"Sure. Let me clean up a bit and make myself presentable. Clothes don't last long for us, do they?" I pointed to the pile of ruined clothing and giggled.

"Not really, no. Lucky for us we have the shopping Nazi in our midst." He chuckled.

"Lucky." I murmured unenthusiastically. "How bad is it, down there?" I nodded towards the hallway, knowing he'd catch my drift.

"It's not bad love, really. They are just excited for us. They're all down there making plans how to help, or be a part of it with us, that's all." I grimaced and shut the bathroom door behind me.

I washed my face and cleaned my teeth and changed into a clean jersey and jeans before rejoining Edward in our room.

"May as well get this over with then." I shrugged as he took my hand and led me downstairs into the ring of fire.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

**BPOV**

I held Edward's hand as we descended the stairs towards the gathered family. As ever Alice was the first one to her feet and she ran towards me and hugged me tightly.

"I can't believe it Bella, a baby!" She shrilled. "This is going to be the worlds most wanted, most spoiled child ever!" She giggled.

"Probably Alice. I'm surprised you aren't online shopping for it already." I smirked.

"I wanted to but Jaz said I had to wait till you said I could. Can I then?" she asked expectantly. I groaned.

"Sure." I said unenthusiastically, hoping she'd take the hint that I wasn't interested, yet. "But don't go nuts Alice, we don't know for sure how this is going to turn out." I warned and then I felt bad because her face visibly slumped. She nodded grimly and went to sit back down beside Jasper on the sofa. I looked at them all in turn and saw that they all had sad faces now. Shit.

'I warned them not to do this, fuckers.' Edward was cursing in his head.

"Guys, seriously, knock it off. I'm not saying you cant shop Alice, or that Rose can't go looking for safety restraints for the car – because I know you want to do that Rose – or that Emmett hasn't already had some grand master plan devised to make room for the baby here. I'm not saying that. I just think we need to be realistic for a few more weeks at least." I looked to Edward and saw him nodding sagely. I knew he agreed that we should be prudent about it all, learn what we could before we let loose. "Don't get me wrong, I'm so excited I feel like I could burst." I grinned and before I knew it I was smothered by six very excited vampires and dragged to the sofa for tummy rubs and foot massages. I could get used to this part!

**EPOV**

Leaving for school Friday morning was better than it had been all week because Bella was asleep as I left. No crying, no sobbing and no angst this morning. From Bella at least. I can't say the same for myself. It took Emmett **and** Rose to extract me from the room in order to go to school.

There was one other difference to leaving her this morning that had been missing all the previous day's I'd had to. None of the others bagged me about it. They were just as pissed as I was, for a change. They'd all, separately I found out later, petitioned Carlisle to allow them to stay home to look after Bella and our baby, but he wasn't having it. To say that Carlisle was not the most beloved vampire in Forks that day was the understatement of the century.

They all wanted to stay home to look after her, which made me both proud and very, very jealous.

Esme had sworn to me that she wouldn't leave her alone today. I'd made her promise me, more than once, that she'd hunt with her if Bella wanted to. She had assured me that Renee was coming only for a short time and that she'd stay right by Bella's side the whole time. I had expected her to be contrite about leaving Bella alone yesterday but she surprised me by calling me out and having a dig about me making choices for Bella, again, as I had in the early days. She actually told me to grow up! Sheesh.

As we rode to school everyone had their cell phones in their laps ready to go in case Bella texted saying she needed something. Every single mind in the vehicle was thinking the same thing. There is going to be a baby to love in our house!

I was sitting staring out the window when Alice gasped. Rose veered off the road and slid the car to a stop and turned around as all four of us stared at Alice. I could see it of course, so I cursed along with Alice' gasp as I saw Mike and the big kid holding a very hazy vision of Seth's arms still while a third kid, a new one, punched Seth in the stomach in the parking lot. Alice was having trouble focusing, because of Seth's recent transformation, but it was easy to make out Newton and another boy in what she saw.

"Go Rose, to school, fast as you can. Newton is beating on Seth again Em." I yelled as Alice' vision came to its end.

"You have to be careful though guys, you'll be clearly seen by everyone if you manhandle them." Alice warned and I nodded in agreement.

"What's his fucking problem dude? Seth's a cool kid." Jasper asked.

"I have no idea. Seth said they just hang shit on him for being the only native kid but I reckon it's got to be more than that." Emmett answered.

"It might have something to do with Seth taking Chloe Castellan to next weeks end of term dance and her being the bigger boys sister Edward. Still no reason to beat Seth, but that might be the root cause." Alice offered by way of a reason. "You know I can't see anything with regard to Seth real clearly now, so I have no idea if the time frame for this is accurate." She sighed.

Rose parked in her usual spot and we all hopped out of the car as quickly as we could but still remaining humanly normal while we all scanned the area for the fight Alice had seen. I saw nothing out of the ordinary and turned to Alice who shrugged. Seth was audibly loud as well as mentally loud, but not frightened or hurt. I listened carefully around me for any voices that were discussing what had happened and soon heard some things that made me truly proud.

"Guys, listen." I said to the others, pointing towards the picnic tables high on the hill near the admin block. Seth stood but had half a dozen girls sitting on the picnic tables enthralled. He was flexing his biceps and generally wowing them with his size.

"Sure I'll be in trouble later but they had it coming. Chloe said she can date who she wants but her bonehead of a brother wouldn't listen. I showed him though." He was scoffing as the girls swooned at his muscles.

"Dude!" Emmett crowed in victory as he dashed up the slope towards Seth.

I watched them bump fists and Emmett clap Seth on the back. Seth retold the story of how he had kicked all three older boys asses as they beat on him, and how Newton had gone off crying about his busted jaw and torn letter jacket. I watched and listened as both Emmett and Seth howled with laughter as the girls continued to swoon over Seth.

The rest of us took a leisurely stroll towards the admin block, stopping to say hi to Seth on our way, and continued on into the school as normal. I was so happy Seth had sorted the problem out once and for all, though I was a little worried what his consequences would be once the principle heard about it.

We caught the last of his conversation with the girls as Emmett ran to catch us up.

"The Cullen's? Oh sure, they're all friends of mine. We're tight, like this. I'll be getting an invite to Edward's wedding and all, and I'll probably be looking for a date ladies." He crowed and I cracked up. Go Seth.

**BPOV**

I slept late and woke up to the sound of Esme singing softly one floor below. She was singing nursery rhymes and I smiled lovingly as she sang all through my shower and was still singing to herself as I went down to join her in the dining room. She was changing the flower arrangements, which she seemed to do every few days, and dusting the furniture. I grabbed a cloth and began to wipe down the sideboard that would never see a platter of food in its life.

"Did you sleep well dear?" she asked as she dragged the enormous vase towards her and bunched up the old flowers in her tiny hands.

"Yes, thank you. It's still weird to sleep." I mused.

"You are the most human of us all Bella." She said quietly and I thought about that for a few seconds before I asked what she meant. "Well, you are the newest to come to our family sure, but you are also the one among us who remains most human. You've managed to keep your friends and family and still be one of us. You're having a baby, you're sleeping and you've seemingly conquered your thirst without issue." She grinned at me across the table.

"I'm not sure that makes me anymore human than you guys though. Perhaps that makes me less vampire?" I wondered out loud.

"Perhaps." She sighed as she went into the kitchen to dispose of the flowers. "I'll let you get the door dear." She giggled as I heard the first faint rumbling of a truck.

He's early today I thought as I waited on the front steps for the deliveryman. Only this time it wasn't the normal van, it was the florists van. Same story though, he thrust the clipboard at me, I signed it he went to the back of the van and came back with a huge box of cut flowers. I took them inside and called for Esme, they were obviously what she'd been waiting for. As she took the box from me the deliveryman came back to the door with another box, I took this one from him and handed it back to Esme as she came past again. She looked confused though. When the driver came back a third time and handed me a huge crystal vase filled with pink roses I knew something was up. "How many more?" I barked to the driver as he went to the back of the van again.

"Five." He moaned.

Oh you've got to be kidding me? So we repeated the process five more times and soon he was driving back off down the driveway happily. I went into the dining room to find Esme sitting in a chair arranging the original flat box of flowers into her normal vase. Another five huge vases, all containing various shades of pink roses, stood on the table as well as the second of the flat boxes.

"How many did you order Esme?" I asked.

"Just this one dear, the rest are for you." She giggled and I gaped.

"Are you serious?" I asked and she nodded, pointing to the card in the closest arrangement. I tore open the envelope and stared at it.

"Read it out dear, don't keep me in suspense." She giggled.

"Okay, sorry. Dear Bella and Edward, congratulations on your good news. All love and best wishes from Sue, Leah and Seth Clearwater. Oh that's so nice of them!" I crowed. I bent to sniff the pink roses and smiled at the tiny pink booties on a little pick that stuck out of the top of the arrangement.

"That's so lovely of them." Esme agreed. "What about those?" She nodded towards the next arrangement and I took the card from it and read it aloud.

"Congratulations on your imminent bundle of joy. All luck and love from us all at the Res." I read as Esme sighed softly.

"Very thoughtful." She agreed.

I took the card out of the largest arrangement and sighed as I recognized the handwriting. "My darling Isabella, there are no words I can say to describe how utterly devoted to you I am. I love you with all that I am and will love our baby just as much. Yours forever, Edward."

"Oh Bella that's so romantic. He's such a good boy." Esme said softly. "Those next, they smell divine." She motioned towards another of the pink vases.

"Oh this one is from my parents, listen. Dear Edward and Bella, we are so very proud of you both. We're so happy you are to be blessed by the stork, all our love always, Mom and Dad. They've even put Charlie and Renee in little brackets look." I leaned over and showed her and she laughed.

"Your mom nearly feinted last night when Edward called her mom. It was a very sweet moment." She said.

An arrangement of white gardenias was next and I plucked the pale blue card from within the flowers and read out loud again. "To our dearest Isabella and Edward. Congratulations on your good news, we couldn't be more in awe, or more proud. All our love for eternity, Carlisle and Esme." I choked back my sob and tugged Esme into a tight hug. "Thank you." I whispered against her cheek as I kissed her.

"You're most welcome Bella." She replied and went back to her own flowers.

I took the card from the last arrangement and stifled a laugh as I read the card. Esme was already giggling so she knew already. "Dear Bella, Congratulations on making a man out of my little brother. He'll hate that I've sent you flowers. It will be brilliant when he finds out. Love you little sis, Em." I laughed loudly but went on, "Wait, there's more. It's got a p.s. listen. P.S. Jaz sends his love to you too, but only because it will piss Eddie off heaps, sorry Esme."

Esme was gasping for breath she was laughing so hard. I had to sit down to stop from toppling over it was so funny. I heard the car in the drive but Esme told me it was just my mother and I should open the last card, the one attached to the flat box. Who it could be from was beyond me.

I slid the blue ribbon off the box and smelled the difference in these flowers from the room full of roses immediately. These were stronger, slightly spicy orchids. Blue ones. They'd obviously been dyed and were exquisite. They had very long stems and were shrouded in a cloud of pale blue tissue paper. I hunted through the box looking for the card and smiled in delight when I saw a pale lilac envelope at the foot end of the box.

I heard my mother greeting Esme at the door as I pulled the envelope out and slid my finger inside it. I tried to hold my breath as Renee and Esme came into the dining room.

"Morning Bella. Wow, have all these just arrived?" She set about reading the cards as her and Esme picked over the flowers enviously. They both sighed when they read the card on Edward's arrangement and then both laughed loudly when they found Emmett's.

As I opened the lilac envelope a small black satin pouch fell into my hand. I smiled knowing what this held, today's charm. What would it be today I wondered as I slipped it open and tipped its contents into my open hand?

"Oh has he put today's charm in with flowers? Sneaky boy." Esme giggled and Renee looked excited.

It was a small gold horseshoe. Again that made no sense to me. Lots of women had them on charm bracelets, I knew that, but what it meant to Edward, or to me for that matter, I didn't know. I opened the lilac page and handed it to Esme to read out loud, I couldn't risk that long a speech near Renee just yet.

Esme sighed and put her hand to her heart as she began, "My darling Isabella, in 29 days you'll know the true depth of my love for you as we take our vows and you become my wife. Fidelite is this charms original name. The horseshoe is a symbol of our connection, our attraction, my fidelity and my devotion. Add it to your bracelet and know that it's you, is only you, will only ever be you. All my love, forever, Edward."

If I could've cried I would've. It was his sweetest note to date. Both my moms were sighing dreamily and Renee was wiping tears out of her eyes as she watched me close the link as I added the charm to my bracelet.

"Excuse me a minute, I have to go text him." I called as I ran off up to our room to collect my cell.

**EPOV**

I was sitting in my English class, bored out of my skull as the teacher droned on and on about the importance of correct grammar and punctuation when my cell vibrated. I flipped it open and smiled when I saw who the text was from.

~I am utterly and irrevocably in love with you. Bella xx ~

I quickly replied.

~It's a good thing you've agreed to marry me then huh? 29 days baby. How do you feel today? Esme is with you, yes? I love you, E xx ~

I slipped it back in my pocket and tried to wait patiently for her reply.

'Well?' Emmett asked. 'And?' Jasper asked at the same time.

"What?" I whispered to the buffoons sitting either side of me.

"Is she okay? Does she need something? Should I go home?" Emmett asked, the stupidest puppy dog face on his bonce.

"What's happening at the house Ed?" Jasper asked, mirroring Emmett's expression perfectly. Christ these two were pathetic.

"She's fine, jeez guys, calm the fuck down alright?" I chuckled as they both steeled their faces into their usual 'I'm not really bothered by anyone or anything, I'm a Cullen so I'm cool' looks. "She was just texting to say thank you – that's your phone going Em – for the charm and the flowers I sent. There goes yours Jaz." I whispered as they both began to dig their phones out of their pockets.

"Cool." Emmett turned the face of his phone towards me so I could read Bella's text. ~Thanks for the flowers big bro. Reply with his reaction, love you too, Bella xx ~ Emmett was chuckling maniacally and had a grin from ear to ear as he read my expression and the flash of anger laced with jealousy that came across my face as I took in her words and focused on the pair of little crosses at the end of it. "Gotta reply now." He laughed and set about replying. Bastard.

Jaz thrust his phone under my face and clapped me loudly on the back as I read his text from Bella. ~Thanks for the good wishes Jaz, luv you too, tell Eddie I adore him, Esme says you're grounded for bad language. Bella xx ~ "Apparently the girl is blind and totally delusional because she says she adores you." He chuckled as he made to reply.

I ignored the moron behind us who started grumbling in his head about the three of us texting during class and how we got away with murder, his word not mine, just because we were rich and good looking and set about texting Bella.

Before I could begin my phone showed I had an incoming text so I opened it first.

~I feel amazing. Renee is here and I'm fine, so please don't worry. I miss you so much, love you more, B xx~

Not likely that I'd not worry but I knew that Esme was there and had promised to stay with her, so I put that out of my mind for now. I replied.

~My two idiot brothers are torturing me with your texts, tell me you love me best? Message me after Carlisle's exam. Love you, Edward xx ~

**BPOV**

My phone just wouldn't stop beeping at me this morning! Between Edward, Emmett and Jaz I had had a dozen texts in the space of three minutes. Good thing my texting thumb would never get tired again!

Emmett's reply had made me laugh so much I had to hold my hand over my mouth so I didn't startle my mother who was deeply ensconced in Esme's blueprint plans for the cottage, that I still wasn't allowed to see. So I sat at the far end of the living room while they whispered secretly – in code mind you – about what they'd done so far. Emmett wrote, ~ He's trying so hard not to explode but it's touch and go. If he gets Eddie brains on my new shirt Alice will shit. Sorry Esme. Em xx ~

Jasper's reply was equally as funny. ~I told him you were blind and delusional because you adore him and he choked up, sorry Bella, but your betrothed is a pussy boy. Sorry Esme. She can't ground me, I'm older than her! Jaz xx ~

I told Esme what Jaz had said and she giggled then explained to Renee who was oldest and youngest here. "Bells is the only one who'll let me mother her when nobody is looking though." Esme winked at me and Renee laughing softly.

"She never needed me. She was born middle aged that one." Renee giggled.

I poked my tongue out at her and went back to my text war. Edward's reply was next and I sighed as I read it. Replying to his was the easiest and most pleasurable one so far.

~I can prove I love you best. I'm having your baby. Now do some work, don't get detention. Love you, B+B xx ~

I knew my reply would illicit questions from him so I put the cell on the table rather than in my pocket and waited for his reply.

Esme had folded up the plans and put them away and now she was dragging the enormous scrapbook onto the table. This was her and Alice' wedding planner. I cringed at the scraps of lace and fabric swatches that hung out the edges of it. I knew there was all manner of girly and horrid things in there that I didn't want to know about, but tried to act interested. I just wanted the ring on my finger, I didn't care what I looked like while I did it.

Edward's text replied as Esme opened the book to a page that had sample table settings and I groaned. None of us ate except for mom and dad, what did we need table settings for?

~Point proven, god I love you! If I get detention will you spank me?;) B+B? E xx~

"Does that boy do any schoolwork while he's there?" Renee asked as I replied.

"Not if he can help it mom." I chuckled.

~It depends how naughty you get re spanking. ;) B = Bella + B = baby. Luv u B xx ~

"What do you think of this china pattern dear?" Esme asked and I cringed.

**EPOV**

"Fuck." I groaned and realized my mistake the minute it left my lips. Both my brothers instantly clenched and prepared to defend. Their mental voices instantly began to question me as to Bella's safety and I groaned again. "Cool it you nutters." I hissed under my breath and they relaxed.

"Well what the fuck were you cursing at then?" Emmett asked.

"I can't say." I chuckled, knowing if he ever saw the word spanking on my phone I was done for, he'd never let me live it down. I quickly deleted my text history and put the phone back in my pocket. I wanted to adjust myself in my trousers but these two zoobs would notice and I'd be done for anyway. I spent the rest of that lesson repeating everything the teacher said in English into Latin. Bored. Out. Of. My. Skull.

"How goes it with Chloe then?" I asked Seth as he stood behind me in the lunch line.

"Brilliant, she's really cool." He sniggered.

"Will she be your date for my wedding then?" I laughed, hoping he'd realize we'd heard him crowing this morning.

He stammered for a few seconds and then said, "Yeah, probably. I really like her Edward." I could tell from his thoughts he really did like her. He might have been boasting and bragging this morning but he really did like this Chloe girl, he thought she was kind and smart.

We made our way to our usual table and I said hi to Angela and Ben as Seth slipped in beside Alice and I sat beside Rosie.

"What was the punishment from this morning Seth?" Ben asked.

"Oh, I don't know yet. I have to meet with the principle next period. My mom's been called too, I'll probably be in more trouble from her than the principle, but it was still worth it." He grinned and Ben laughed.

As they talked about the details of Seth's triumph this morning I set about answering my sisters questions. Alice wanted to know if I'd heard from Bella and how she was doing today, Rose wanted to know if I'd checked on Bella this morning at all and what she was doing. I whispered to Rose that Bella was fine and she was busy with Esme and her mother, wedding plans. Rose nodded and asked me to keep her informed of Bella's wellbeing through the day. I smiled warmly at her and marveled at the fact that for the very first time Rosalie was thinking of someone other than herself. Huh.

"Hey, Alice, Bella says hi. She's all good." Alice thanked me for the update and returned to her conversation with Angela about the upcoming dance.

"Hey Edward?" Seth called me and I looked over to him. "Ben was saying Bella got suspended for punching that Jessica chick yeah?" I nodded and his face clouded over. "Shit, if I get suspended do you think I'll be banned from going to the dance like Bella was?" Oh, now I saw where this was going, if he was suspended he couldn't go with Chloe. Shit.

"Maybe not. But probably." I replied and he nodded, eyes downcast.

As the first bell rang for the end of lunch Seth ran off to see Chloe before the class began and I caught up to Alice as she headed to the gym. "If Seth gets suspended and can't go to the dance do you think we should organize a group date or something, so he can still do something with Chloe?"

"Oh Edward that's a brilliant idea. Let me check." She stopped walking and closed her eyes, hugging her books to her chest firmly. She grimaced a little at the vision of Sue Clearwater yelling loudly at a blank space – which could only be Seth now that Alice couldn't see him at all – and then she saw the principle telling an empty seat that it was banned from social activities. Again that could only be Seth. "Sorry Edward, he's going to be banned. But I like your idea. Leave it with me?" I nodded and went down the hall to my own last lesson of the day. Fantastic, an hour and a half listening to Douche-Newton whine about his jaw and his coat. Fuck knuckle.

**BPOV**

Renee left at midday when Carlisle arrived for my check up. I hugged my mother carefully and waved to her as she drove down the driveway in her new car.

Carlisle told me how proud he was of me being able to touch her so soon and I felt so happy that I'd pleased him. Esme told him how I'd sat through two whole hours with Renee in the same room and hadn't flinched once. It wasn't quite true, I'd flinched from the wedding scrapbook, but not from Renee's scent.

"Shall we Bella?" Carlisle nodded towards the second floor and his study and I went up the stairs ahead of him.

When he'd settled himself into his chair and opened my file he asked how I was feeling today and if there was anything new I could tell him.

"Nothing new. I slept, again, but nothing new. I feel great today. Thirsty but no burn as usual. I think I'll hunt after this though, mom smelled a bit too good at the end there." I giggled and he began to write.

"Any changes in your weight so far?" He asked.

"I wanted to ask you about that. Should I weigh myself before or after I hunt?"

"Before if possible, but it won't really matter in the scheme of things."

"Right. Well then yes, I've put on half a pound. Is that okay?" I asked.

"I have no idea." He laughed. "I've had a reply from my friend in South America." He said.

"Do you have new information?" I asked and he nodded. "Do you mind if I call Edward and he listens in?" I asked and Carlisle nodded and I dialed Edward's cell.

"Hey, can you get away for a few minutes, Carlisle has some info for us?" I asked.

"Sure love. Hang on." I heard him tell his teacher he had a headache and needed to see the school nurse, she sent him off without an ounce of trouble and I waited as I heard him walking down the halls. When the car door closed softly in the background he asked me to put him on speakerphone, I clicked the button then he continued. "Carlisle, what did you find out?"

"Hello son, I was just telling Bella I've had a reply from my friend in South America. The girl, her name is Angelica, is fit and healthy and living a normal life in a town in Brazil. From the sketchy information my friend was able to obtain she is a hybrid, half human half vampire. But her circumstances differ from yours significantly. Her mother was human, she chose to stay human after she found out she was pregnant. She died during childbirth Bella." He said solemnly.

"Fuck… Sorry." I heard Edward curse and cringed. He'd be thinking the worst now. Damn.

"Right." I said quietly. I didn't know what this meant for me, for us. "And Angelica? How old is she now? She grows properly?" These were the most important details for me, I wasn't worried about what would happen to me as such, I just needed to know that the child was alive and well.

"Yes, she is, for all intents and purposes a normal adult female. She had a very accelerated growth rate, she was full grown by the time she had spent ten human years, but other than that, from what I can gather, she is fully grown and fairly normal."

"Right." I replied again. At least the girl had managed to make it to adult hood, even if that had taken half the usual time. Edward would get ten years to nurture our child, at least, before it went off as an adult. I was grateful for that, at least. "Her father?" I asked.

"She lives in the same town as her father, he raised her without incident. He isn't a vegetarian and from what I've learned neither is she, fully. She can pick and choose whether or not to partake in blood or human food. She mostly chooses human food as she is able to integrate with the other humans in her town better if she steers clear of triggering her bloodlust by partaking in blood." He said matter of factly.

"Is she strong, like us Carlisle?" Edward asked.

"Yes, she has our impenetrable skin and our reflexes. I assume that makes her fast like us too, I'll have to check about her scent marking abilities and her hearing and sight, but I think they all go hand in hand."

"Okay, thanks Carlisle. Bella, a word please?" Edward asked and I clicked the button to turn the speaker off and I nodded towards the hall and went out into it talk to Edward. I still wasn't used to being heard all the time, but realized it wouldn't matter how far away I went, if I were within a mile Carlisle would hear me anyway!

"Edward?" I asked, worried he was obsessing.

"Oh god Bella…I miss you so much…another hour I'll be home okay?" He fairly yelped this into the phone and I grinned. He was so sweet.

"Me too baby. So this is good news, yeah?" I asked, hoping he thought it was too.

"Sure. I'd much rather have a case study where the mother survived, but we'll find one. And if not we'll find a way. You're stuck with me, you know that right? You can't get rid of me by dying in childbirth, I'm like a limpet, I stick like glue." I could hear the anguish in his voice and knew he was just being stupidly brave, but I loved him for it.

"Damn, here I was thinking I'd be able to shake your sparkly ass!" I laughed into the phone.

"Not a fucking chance baby, not a chance! I love you Bella, love you baby bump. See you soon love." He crooned.

"We love you too, bye baby." I hung up and leaned against the wall for a minute, soaking up his parting words before I went back into Carlisle.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

**EPOV**

I'd put the stereo on in the car and run over and over the information Carlisle had for us. It wasn't particularly bad news but it wasn't good news either. We needed to find a living specimen whose parents both survived the birth. I'd not be happy, or contented till we did.

I laid back and closed my eyes and let the music wash over me as I waited for my siblings to join me from their last classes. I ranged my hearing out to locate them individually. Rose was in music class in the far corner of the school. She was practicing Pachelbel's Canon in D Major and I knew why instantly. She planned to play this as Bella's entry piece at our wedding! She was a little too fast in the treble but it was a glorious sound she produced on the old school piano. It would sound much richer, more vibrant on my grand at the house.

Alice was in gym and trying desperately to manufacture a situation where she could spike the volleyball into Jessica Stanley's recently reset nose. I laughed loudly when Alice shoved another girl out of the way to take a spike right up close to the net to get better aim. Unfortunately Jessica took that moment to turn to Lauren and the ball went wide and missed. Alice cursed a blue streak in her mind and I laughed again.

Emmett was in Calculus but was ignoring the class and instead was drawing diagrams of how to remodel the attic space at the house to include a nursery. He was hoping it wasn't twins because he doubted he'd be able to fit two cribs in the new space. I chuckled at the thought of twins. Christ it would be just our luck!

Jasper was in the metalwork room trying desperately to refrain from bending the steel plate for his toolbox project using his fingers. He hated the class but refused to take gym, he had very little control around sweating human bodies.

I automatically searched the school for Seth and winced as I found him seated in the principles office being grilled by his mother. Despite admitting that the older boys had been bullying him since he'd started at Forks High he was indeed being suspended, if only for Monday and Tuesday of the following week. That didn't seem to bother him in the least. I groaned when he began to remind himself to call Bella tonight and ask if he could hang out with her while he was suspended. He was a nice kid, but he was entirely too fixated on my Bella at the moment. What took the wind out of his sails was the confirmation that he would be banned from the school social calendar until next term began, which meant no dance next Friday.

As the bell rang to signal the end of the school day I leapt from the car and made my way to the doors that lead out of the main building, hoping for a word with Seth before his mother took him home.

"Good afternoon Mrs Clearwater, Seth." I greeted them as they walked down the hill with me towards the parking lot.

"Hello Edward. Seth, I'll be in the car." She shot him a displeased look and he nodded.

"Hey Edward. I'm banned, do you believe that shit?" He asked as he shook his head.

"Yeah, I heard. Tough break, but I think I might have a solution if you're interested?" He looked to me eagerly and nodded violently. I chuckled and led him to where Alice stood against her car waiting.

"Hey Alice." Seth called as he reached her.

"Hello Seth-a-nova." Alice giggled. "Hey Chloe, got a moment?" Alice called out to the blonde girl who stood by a rusty Chevy a few cars down. Seth turned to watch her walk towards us and I found myself smirking at his mental thoughts. Instead of the usual teenage boy lust he was in awe of what he saw as her flawless complexion and her perfect posture. He had it bad!

"Hey Chloe. Um, this is Alice and her brother Edward." He gestured towards us and we both nodded our hello.

"Hey Chloe, Seth was just telling us he has been suspended for a couple of days and is actually banned from going to the dance next Friday night. Tough break kid." Alice shrugged at him and his shoulders slumped. Chloe immediately began to curse the principle and her brother and his stupid friends for making her miss her date with Seth. Alice continued before either of them had a chance to voice their disappointment. "We weren't planning on going anyway, we're having a private dance at our house instead. I thought you two might want to come along seeing as you can't come here?" Alice asked and I cringed.

A private dance? At our house? WTF? 'Oh knock it off Edward, it was your idea for me to help them have their date, so shut your trap.' She shot me and I glared at her.

"Wow Alice, that's so cool. You sure you don't mind us tagging along?" Seth was brimming with pleasure now, not least because he'd be able to dance with Chloe all night long without being teased by his friends from school.

"Of course. Let me know if you can come. Here come the others Edward, you wanna drive?" She tossed her keys to me but I still glared at her. "Sure." I growled as she hopped into the backseat to await Jasper.

"Thanks you guys, I'll call you." Seth was saying as he led Chloe over to his mothers car to introduce them. Chloe was just as smitten with Seth as he was with her, so I knew they'd be fine.

**BPOV**

"A dance? Here? Oh god, why Alice?" I whined as Alice began to tell Esme about what they'd need to organize before next Friday.

"Because it will be fun and Seth needed a way to have his date with Chloe." Alice poked her tongue at me and Edward chuckled.

'_I'll get to dance with you all night long Bella.'_ Edward thought as he wrapped his arms around me and inhaled against my neck.

"I don't dance Edward and you know it." I shuddered when I remembered our last attempt at a date where we danced. "Plus I won't be able to handle a human here all night anyway. So don't get your hopes up about tripping the light fantastic." I scowled at Alice but she was ignoring me rather pointedly.

'_Even better, we'll dance a bit then sneak off for a snack and a play, then dance some more. I might even break out my dancing shoes, if you behave that is.'_ He thought and I cringed.

"Oh please, you have dancing shoes Edward?" I scoffed and he stepped away from me and took Esme into his arms, swinging her easily around the kitchen island, swaying to some imaginary music. Esme was smiling widely as he whipped her faster and faster through turn after turn. "Ok, ok, I believe you." I cried as he bowed low to Esme, who curtsied prettily and went back to her conversation with Alice.

Edward came back to stand beside me and held his hand out for me, I shook my head but put my hand in his anyway. I hated dancing and he knew it. Even my lessons with Rose had been somewhat of a disaster. I'd need a few more before the wedding that was for sure. I expected him to whirl me around as he had Esme but instead he lifted my hand to his lips, kissed it lightly and said, "Isabella, darling, will you accompany me to the dance next Friday evening?"

"Smooth Eddie, smooth." Jasper called from the living room.

I laughed but nodded at Edward and he inclined his head and threw me his very sweetest crooked smile. Then he kissed my hand again and turned my bracelet to view his latest addition. "It looks lovely on you Bella." He used his fingertips to rub circles into my wrist and it felt divine. "Are you expected online with your parents this evening Bella?" He asked, changing the subject quickly.

"I am, but not for a couple of hours yet, why?" I asked, searching his thoughts for his point. He was, annoyingly, reciting the script from Monty Python sketches to keep me out.

"I need to make a quick call and then Esme, Alice, will you come with us and tell us where you want things in our room please?" He asked and the two women began to clap their hands excitedly. Oh great.

"Come on Bella." They tugged me up the stairs to our room to begin their torture while Edward went into Carlisle's study to make his call.

**EPOV**

"So I'll come by at midday Charlie, see you then." I put the phone back in its cradle and grinned. Charlie was more than happy to come for a drive in the Veyron tomorrow with Carlisle and I and had shouted to ask Renee if she wanted to come out with us all for the day on Sunday. Renee, of course, had shouted back that she'd love to. So we were all set.

By the time I went back up to our room the three girls had our room almost empty and the hallway littered with boxes of my belongings mingled with Bella's. I knew some of it would have to be put into storage but I dreaded having to sort through it and making those decisions.

Rose, Emmett and Jasper joined us as the girls began to bark orders where they wanted things. "This is worse than doing the cottage dude." Emmett grumbled as he passed Jaz in the hall with my desk hoisted on his shoulders. "At least that place was empty when we started."

"Put that in my loft Emmett." Esme called as he rolled his eyes.

"Edward can you take these shelves up there too dear?" Esme asked me, pointing to the two six foot bookcases on either side of my bed. I pulled a face and she shot me a look, including the mental litany that went with it so I nodded and smiled and took the first bookcase out the door.

When I returned to collect the other one Alice was busy picking papers off the corkboard where my desk once stood.

"Hey, don't crumple those." I shouted to her as she went to tear a wad of papers off their pins.

"They are just old school notes Edward, jeez." She whined.

"No, they aren't." I scowled and tugged them out of her hands.

"Yes they are, look." She reefed them back out of my fingers and danced to the other side of the room with them before I could protest. "They're Biology notes. Hey, what's with the butterflies and flowers in the margin. Oh my god, Bella, are these your notes?" She skipped to where Bella sat on my sofa and waved them in front of her.

"Yeah, I think so. Hey, where did you get those?" She asked me. I shuffled my feet nervously and mumbled that I found them. "Edward these aren't even notes from Forks High, these are from Phoenix." She was laughing now and I was busted.

"I know that." I emphasized the 'that' and pulled them back out of Alice' hand and folded them carefully and tucked them down the side of a box marked 'Edward's desk'. "You threw them out after an exam and I liked your drawings. Sue me." I poked my tongue out and grabbed the bookcase and left the room to howls of laughter.

"Jasper please take the sofa to the cottage dear." Esme said and I heard Bella say thank you.

"No problem Ma'am." Jasper replied and I returned to the room in time to see him place his hand on Bella's arm.

What the fuck? Fucking flowers this morning – I'd seen them already, oh yeah, I'd seen them all right, bastards – now he's touching her and calling her Ma'am? Give me a fucking break already.

"Edward!" Bella shouted at me and I knew I'd been read. Fuck. "Hey, that's not nice Edward." She seemed genuinely displeased with me and I was sorry. But be damned if I was going to say so to him. He should learn to keep his fucking hands to himself. "Edward, for gods' sake. You have to stop this. Go, go with Jaz to the cottage, let us finish this please." She shot at me with an angry scowl.

"Fine." I stormed as I fled the house. I didn't want to watch them fawn all over her anyway. I caught up to Jaz and told him not to by my fucking wife flowers again but the bastard just laughed and flipped me off, then I headed into the deep forest in search of a mountain lion to annoy.

**BPOV**

"Let him go. He's got this jealous streak that's driving me crackers." I told Esme as she stood at the glass doors and watched Edward run off.

"He's jealous of his own brothers?" Alice asked.

"Yeah. Silly huh?" I said as I put the last of Edward's books into a box and shoved it out into the hall.

"Should you be doing that sissy?" Emmett asked watching me carefully.

"Umm, immortal." I laughed but he didn't shift. He stood over me with his arms crossed over his chest and his eyebrows knitted together.

"Umm, carrying my niece or nephew." He answered grumpily.

"Oh fine, here, you take it then." I kicked the box with my toe and he smiled.

"Thanks. And don't worry about Eddie, once you've got the wedding ring on he'll calm down. We all go through this. I used to go berserk when Carlisle touched Rosie before we got married that first time, right Ez?" He called from the loft.

"Oh yes, Emmett was particularly hostile those first few years with us. Whenever Edward or Carlisle even so much as walked near her he shoved them aside and stood between them. It was rather endearing, for a while." She rolled her eyes and I giggled.

"Hey, wait a minute, what do you mean the first time you got married? How many times have you done it?" I asked as Rose came into the room with an Allen key to dismantle Edward's bed.

"Six, so far." She laughed and I stood open-mouthed staring at her.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. I like doing it. Plus it makes assimilating with other college kids and post grads easier if we go through college, get married and what not just like they do. Plus Emmett loves the honeymoons." She laughed and we all joined in.

Rosalie and Emmett began to take the long bars of wrought iron that was Edward's bed frame out to the garage for storage as Jasper came back from the cottage. He and Alice went to the garage too to help bring the new bed upstairs.

We'd picked a low-lying modern bed that had a wide band of white laminated timber as a surround. The headboard was actually what others would call a blanket box but slimmer. It was covered in soft white suede leather and had two padded headrests on top of it. A new mattress accompanied it and soon Rose and Esme were putting the linens on it that I'd chosen on our trip to Port Angeles.

"What's next sis?" Emmett asked as he and Jasper bought some more of the new furniture up and into the hall ready for assembly.

"That really tall black cabinet there, it goes in the bathroom Em. Thanks." I pointed to it and he lifted it with one hand, grinning from ear to ear.

When he came back he asked again what he could do.

"Umm, those three panels of glass need to be screwed to the closet fronts." I pointed to the three shiny paper-thin sheets of etched glass that were leaning up against the wall in the hallway. Emmett nodded and he and Jaz lifted the first piece into place while Rose began to unscrew the old door handles so they'd sit flush in the new holes she was about to drill.

Alice and Esme were attaching shiny black shelves to the end wall with their brackets so I went out into the hall to find the box that contained the entertainment unit I'd ordered. I sat crossed legged on the landing and assembled it, amazed that I could even begin it let alone make it look like the instructions said it should. This new vampire brain was pretty brilliant for that. I heard Edward coming back across the yard though so I abandoned my work and ran down the stairs and straight into his waiting arms as he hit the back porch.

**EPOV**

"I'm so sorry love. Forgive me?" I asked her as she flung herself off the top step at me.

"You gotta stop doing that Edward. I'm yours, I don't know what more I can do or say to make you believe it." She said as she feathered my face and neck with light kissed.

"You could marry me." I chuckled as she stood back and put her hands on her hips and huffed.

"Now why didn't I think of that?" She grinned and took my hand and tugged me along behind her and back up to the landing.

"What's this?" I asked as she plonked herself down onto the ground and took up a screwdriver.

"It's an entertainment unit, you know, for the TV and stereo and stuff." She shrugged and I thought back to what I'd talked with the others about at the cottage that day.

"We don't watch TV though Bella." I stated.

"But we could, or a movie or whatever, even the music channel or something. That might be nice, you know? Curl up in front of the telly together sometime." She shrugged.

"Sure. Here let me help." I knelt down and we built the thing together. It was rather nice. Very modern. Stark white with chrome plated slim handles on the deep drawers. It was only two feet high though it was easily eight feet long. "Where do you want it to go love?" I asked as I stood with it under my arm.

"Umm, I'll show you." She pointed towards our room and I followed her with the cabinet.

The room now looked totally different. Ultra modern but not minimalist. My old bed was gone and a lower one with pale grey linen had replaced it, it looked fantastic. The closet was now covered in a layer of shiny etched glass panels making it seem huge in the smallish room. The black shelving at the far end, beside the double glass doors, now held a collection of memorabilia and a huge world globe. It looked brilliant, I loved globes of any kind and had always wanted one.

"That needs to go here Edward." Bella pointed to the length of wall beside the bathroom door and I positioned the cabinet into the space neatly. It fit like a glove, so it was obviously either custom made or had been altered for her. Clever girl I thought to myself. "Thank you." She grinned and patted my butt as she went back out to the hall.

She came back with a thin but very long box. This was our new TV. Emmett and Jasper dived on the box and said they'd volunteer to hook all the electrical gear up so I left them to it.

"What else do you need?" I asked, eager to help.

"In the garage is a sofa, I'll come with you." She offered but I waved her away.

She went back into the room and began opening boxes and placing things on shelves as I went to the garage to find this sofa. It was a bit of a mess when I got there, Carlisle would not have been amused, neither would Rose who loved this space as much as she loved her bedroom. It wouldn't be for long I thought as I spotted the pale grey leather loveseat wrapped in shrink-wrap. It was awkward to get up the stairs but I managed without a problem. "Where will it go?" I asked as I came to the door.

"Opposite the telly Edward." Bella pointed to the spot and I set it down carefully then unwrapped it. It smelled brilliant, like a new car and I sank down into it's spongy softness and sighed contentedly. "Does that mean you like it?" she giggled. I shifted around on it and decided I did like it. I had loved the old one but this one had soft squishy arms that I could lie her back against as I …"Edward!" she yelled and I turned to look at her.

"What?" I asked innocently.

"Yeah, what indeed." She smirked. Oops, busted. I laughed. "What's next?"

"Flat packed box on the landing, it's a desk, want to put it together for me?" she asked and I nodded.

Esme was directing traffic like a cop as the others bought in box after box of things from around me on the landing. Pretty soon the only things out there were things that weren't going back in like some older books and clothes Alice deemed to be 'so last year'. Bella and Rose were stacking our new clothes into the rearranged closet space and Esme was telling the two boys to hurry up with the cabling because she had pictures that needing hanging yet. I'd never had a picture on a wall before. There were paintings around the house but never in my room. It wasn't a conscious decision I'd just never found anything I wanted badly enough, anything I wanted to look at for years on end. I wondered what Bella had chosen for us to gaze upon?

Putting the handles on the desk drawers I stood back to admire my handiwork. It was a pretty impressive structure in and of itself. L-shaped top surface with drawers on either side of the return. A low hutch section with spaces for books and pens along it. It was the same pale grey as the low unit had been for the television and it would match perfectly.

Emmett came out and grabbed it bodily in his giant hands and I heard Bella show him where she wanted it placed. There were two high backed leather office chairs on the landing and I figured they were next so I wheeled them both into the room and put one on either side of the desk. It would be nice to be able to sit opposite Bella as we worked at the surface.

"Enjoy dude." Emmett clapped me on the back as he left, dragging Rose behind him.

"Catch you tomorrow Ed. Bye Bella." Jasper punched me on the arm as he left. Alice hugged Bella and told her how much she liked what she'd picked and she threw me a smile and a wink as she followed Jasper out of the room.

Esme gave the room one more look before she too hugged Bella. "Don't forget Bella has to call her parents Edward. Goodnight dears." She said as she left.

I looked out the windows and realized the sun had set while we'd worked. Huh.

Bella and I were left standing in our new room at opposite ends of the space. I glanced around and smiled. It was exquisite. Modern, sleek, stylish and I loved it already.

I let my eyes travel over all the new surfaces and catalogued all the new items I saw. Bella's alarm clock from her house stood on a small table beside her side of our new bed, mine on another on my side.

Bella's ipod dock stood off to the side of the return of the desk, mine sat on the opposite side, obviously this was going to be my side now.

A lilac afghan was thrown casually over the arm of the sofa and was partially covered by a pair of plump silver cushions.

The thin mantle over the fireplace now held four photo frames. Each held a different picture of us as a pair. One from the first school dance that Esme took, the same night but of us standing on the porch at Charlie's. One of us standing beside the Elise at the cabin and one I didn't recognize. I walked towards it and looked more closely. It wasn't as good quality at the others but I recognized the setting immediately. It was the cafeteria at school. Someone had taken a shot of Bella and I at the lunch table, probably with a mobile phone. She was leaning in towards me and I was whispering something into her ear, something that made her blush and smile. It was gorgeous.

I ran my fingers over the frame and smiled.

The desk really was remarkable. Perfect for the space and it housed everything we'd need without it looking cluttered. I found the box with my desk things in it and took out the crumpled pages from Bella's Biology exam and pinned them to the end of the hutch, smoothing them out lovingly. I'd had those pages for about three years and everyday I looked at them, tracing the fine lines of the butterflies she'd drawn.

The hutch along the back that ran against the wall now housed the last dozen or so volumes of my journal, I noticed. I'd like to know where the rest had come to rest, but I'd find them eventually I was sure. I had had them with me for a century and I liked them close at hand.

I looked along the same wall at the new bookcases that stood either side of the desk. They were both white and glossy and held my books in one, Bella's in the other. At the front edge of the shelves were my collections. Some gemstones I'd collected over the years, nothing of too much importance but I liked them. Another shelf held a signed baseball, the penknife I'd owned as a child, a few faded and crumpled ticket stubs from various movies and shows I'd been to over the decades. It didn't seem like a lot to show for someone who'd been on the earth for over a hundred years now that I looked at the motley collection. I had a box of other stuff somewhere, in the closet probably, I'd find it later and set out some other things of interest.

I looked to Bella's shelves and saw her collection of trinkets. They looked much more interesting than mine. I'd be sure to ask her what each piece meant to her.

She'd been silent while I catalogued the space and now I turned to her with a wide smile. "It's fantastic. Did you plan all this?" I asked and smiled again as she nodded. "I love it. Thank you so much."

**BPOV**

"There are a few more things to unpack but this is the bulk of it. Do you really like it? Not too modern for you?" I asked as he continued to look around the room.

"I really do love it. And no, not too modern for me. The colour is brilliant. The glass on the closet doors is remarkable." He said and I beamed. I was so glad he liked it so far.

I unwrapped a pair of lamps and put one on either side of the bed. Another angle poise lamp sat in a box on the desktop so I unwrapped it and clipped it to the end of the surface so the light would shine across the shared space.

I left Edward to look around a bit more and went to retrieve our laptops, putting his on his side of the desk, mine on the other.

I'd added a tall dresser to the room to house most of my clothes. Edward had half hanging space and half shelves in the closet but I only had a few coats and the one dress Alice had bought for me to wear to the dance to hang up anyway. I emptied another box of my clothes into the dresser and went to find my jewel box. I found it in a box on the landing and put it on the top of the dresser along with my keys, wallet and cell phone. Eventually I'd put more picture frames on its surface but for now I would make do with Charlie and Renee's wedding photo in its usual ceramic frame with the little gold flowers painted on the edges.

I patted the jewel box lovingly and went to find the rest of the boxes of my clothes.

"The rest of your journals are in a box, clearly marked, in Esme's loft for now. Emmett is going to move those things to the cottage in a few days, alright?" I asked him and he nodded. He seemed totally enthralled by the electronics set up in the entertainment unit. He was thumbing through the drawers of his Cd's and twiddling the knobs on the stereo as I went to collect another box of clothing.

Over the past few days I'd split our belongings in half. Half for this room half for the cottage. For now I'd keep my jewel box and laptop and things here, but after we were married they'd come with me, wherever I stayed. I guessed Edward would feel the same about his journals so I had had a satchel made for him so he could move them back and forth freely. I took it out of its box and ran my hand over the wrapping paper one more time then I went back into the room.

He was lounging on the sofa, legs outstretched, hands behind his head, eyes closed listening to a classical piece on the stereo. He looked magnificent. So peaceful. So at home. I didn't have the heart to interrupt him so I put the parcel on the end of the bed and went back to unpacking my clothes while he relaxed.

**EPOV**

The new stereo had excellent bass and a good, clear crisp sound. The sofa was unbelievably comfortable and the Cd's Bella had chosen to keep in the drawers were perfect. I could still hear her moving around of course but as I sat, eyes closed, drinking in the music I felt myself becoming more and more in awe of her as the minutes ticked by.

How had she known that I envied Rose and Emmett's study space? How did she know that a quiet corner to listen to music or read or watch a movie would suit us so well? Did she know the pale greys would soothe me as I worked to tune out the outside world from my own? Had she read these things in my mind? I did not think so as I didn't recall ever having thought them before now.

"I didn't know Edward, I guessed." She giggled behind me running her hand through my hair as she passed by where I sat.

"Fabulous guess Ms Swan." I mumbled, completely lost in the feel of her hands on my scalp.

"I have something for you." She whispered close to my ear. She kept her hand on my shoulder as she came to sit beside me on the sofa, a wrapped parcel in her hands. She placed it in my lap and smiled down at it.

"This is for me?" I asked, wondering what it could be. I took a few seconds to think if I'd ever had a surprise gift before? I didn't think I had, even as a child I'd had the ability to read peoples thoughts if not outright hear their intentions. Now I had a real gift, something I had no preconceived notion about and I was giddy with anticipation!

"Yes." She said simply.

I pulled the ribbon away and turned it over to undo the tape that held the paper together. Whatever was inside was suede leather and it was new. I could tell that much from its scent. I pulled the two halves of the paper aside and stared at the bag inside it. It was an old-fashioned book-carrying satchel. It had a wide leather strap and my initials, all of them. E.A.M.C stamped in dark ink onto the front flap. It was fucking gorgeous!

I ran my hands over the supple leather and inhaled deeply, bringing it to my nose to take it in fully. I opened the brass clasp on the front flap and flipped it over onto itself to get a look inside. There was a note.

'Dearest Edward, Thank you for sharing your space with me and allowing me to make it ours. I hope you will use this satchel to move your journals as we move between the house and the cottage. I love you so much, Bella xx'

"Oh my god Bella, this is astounding. You had this made, for me?" she nodded and I pulled her onto my lap, crushing the note in the process, and pulling her mouth down onto mine. 'I love you so much, you are so amazing. Thank you, thank you, thank you.' I said over and over as I tasted her sweet lips.

She pushed herself up using my chest as leverage for her tiny frame and smiled down at me as she hovered over me on the sofa. "I'm so glad you like it. I'd love to sit here with you and, um, play, but I have to get online or Renee will throw a fit." She kissed me soundly on my lips and went to the desk to start up her laptop.

I put the satchel on the sofa beside me and took a stroll around our new room. It was marvelous, perfect. With the bed now opposite the windows we'd catch the sunlight in the mornings and of an afternoon it would stream in through the glass doors at the other end of the room, onto the sofa. It was incredible how perfect it all was.

"Hey mom." I heard Bella begin her chat with her mother and smiled. She'd spent the morning with her this morning without incident, Esme had confirmed it for me when I'd come home from school. Just another way my Bella was amazing.

I turned towards the bed to set my alarm clock when I caught my first real look at the pictures above the bed. I stood stunned into silence and stared at them.

"Bella, is that us?" I croaked.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

**BPOV**

I knew he'd have to spot them eventually. I had hoped he'd see them either before or after I talked with my mother but it wasn't to be. So when he asked if the pictures were us I nodded and went back to my chat with Renee. He stood at the foot of the bed and stared at them for a long, long time before he picked up his keys, kissed me on the top of my head, said a quick hello to Renee and told me he had to go out for a bit, but he'd be back before bed time.

I told him goodbye but couldn't work out where he was going from his thoughts because I was trying to concentrate on the conversation with Renee.

"Can you pan the camera around a bit and show me?" Renee asked. I picked the laptop up and angled the camera across the room so she could see what we'd done today. "Oh its gorgeous Bella. I love it. What did Edward say?" She asked as I sat back down at the desk with the computer.

"He said he loved it. It's pretty different than what was here this morning though huh?" I asked. Esme had shown Renee through the house before she left this morning, I was long gone though, having run off for a quick snack.

"It sure is, but it suits you both. Have you given any thought to where the baby will sleep once it's born?" she asked.

"Emmett says he is going to knock through into the attic space and build a small nursery, but I guess we'll wait and see." I answered cautiously.

"Your dad, Carlisle and Edward are going to drive the new car tomorrow. Esme and Alice are taking me to Port Angeles dress shopping, what are you going to do?" I knew she was asking what I had planned because we'd had to shuffle our plans for a dress shopping trip when I'd discovered I was pregnant. We were supposed to have all gone this morning but we'd changed our plans when it was decided I should just rest up. That seemed stupid now seeing as I'd just spent four hours moving furniture around, but whatever.

"I'm going to have another dance lesson with Rose actually. Then I'm going to spend some time with Jasper. I think he wants to teach me how to play something on the Xbox, can't wait." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Esme is coming to collect me so I wont see you tomorrow until we get online, but I'll see you on Sunday. Are you looking forward to that?" she asked but I didn't know what she was on about.

"What's going on on Sunday mom?"

"Oh, Edward invited us both onto a boat or something, for the day." She said, scrunching her eyes up. I laughed because I knew she thought that meant fishing, as in Charlie's small aluminum boat that he often took fishing.

"Ahh, I see. Well mom, I assure you it's not what you think. You're going to love this particular boat, trust me. Whatever you do, don't trust Edward when he tells you the water is warm!" I giggled.

"Okay, I wont. Edward said I shouldn't bring anything, but I don't know, surely I should bring some food or something?" she asked.

"Nah mom, Esme is dying to have someone to cook for again, I'm sure between her and Alice they've got it covered."

"Okay, if you're sure."

"I am. This is what they do best, they cater." I laughed and so did Renee.

"Your father and I are going to the Lodge for dinner Bella, so I had better go and get ready. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure mom. Love you, have a good time." I blew her a kiss and she caught it and smiled warmly before signing off.

I closed the laptop and went to my new bed and dragged the comforter up from the foot end and closed my eyes for a few minutes rest. It had been a long day.

**EPOV**

"Can you do me a favor Alice?" I asked into my phone.

"Sure, but why are you calling me Edward? How long till you're home?" she asked.

"Because she can read me, remember?" I chuckled.

"Oh, yeah. Must suck. What do you need?" She laughed and I grimaced.

"What's the weather going to be tomorrow?" I asked first.

"Perfect for us, not so good for humans." She giggled. Perfect.

"Can you get online and book me two places at the Edna Gallery in Port Angeles for tomorrow night?" I asked and she said of course she could. "And I'll need a room at the Hidden Haven Bed and Breakfast. Give us something private, please, for tomorrow night. Can you put it on my credit card?" I asked.

"Sure Edward. No problems. I take it you don't want Bella to know any of this?"

"Correct. I'll be on my way home soon but can you look in on her and text me afterwards please?" I knew it was stupid to want the constant reassurance but I couldn't help it. I still hated being even this far away from her, a few miles at best.

"Of course. I'll go now. See you later." And she ended the call.

I tapped my foot impatiently as the salesgirl processed my purchase. It was already close to eight and I wanted to be home and with Bella _now._

"Do you want to purchase an extended warranty, sir?" she asked, batting her ridiculous false eyelashes at me.

"No." I said gruffly, hoping she'd just get on with the sale.

"That's all gone through sir. Sign here please." She pushed the sales slip towards me and let her fingers linger at the top of the slip, her mental voice told me she was hoping to be able to touch my hand and maybe flirt a little longer. I signed it and without waiting for the receipt I scooped up my purchases and headed out the door to the sound of her calling to tell me I'd forgotten my sales record. Like I cared. If this stuff didn't work I'd just buy another one.

As I put the boxes on the passenger seat of the Guardian I patted them fondly and headed home. My cell phone beeped and I eagerly read Alice' sit rep.

~She's asleep. She looks so lovely like that. I've made your bookings, you're good to go. No need to hurry, we'll watch over her. A xx~

I smiled and thought of my lovely Bella asleep in our new bed.

"Where did you run off to dude?" Jasper asked when I returned to the house laden with parcels.

"Later Jaz." I said, putting them down on the bottom step. I flopped down on the sofa beside him.

"I checked on her two minutes ago, she's still asleep, so nothing to worry about. Looks so weird seeing her sleep though eh? Rose is wanting the next turn to check, about ten minutes." He said and I grinned.

"Are you lot going to keep this up the whole pregnancy then?" I chuckled.

"Shit yeah, sorry Esme." He laughed too. He took his Xbox controller off the coffee table and went back to his game.

I just shook my head and collected the boxes from the stair and went up to our room.

She looked divine lying on the edge of our new bed with the coverlet tucked in around her waist. Her feet were sticking out the end and I fought the urge to caress them. They were just so perfect, her pink toes were so adorable. Aargh. What sort of pervert stands over the bed and fantasizes over a woman's toes? Get a grip man!

I looked once more to the portraits that hung above the bed and stifled the moan I could feel building in my chest. I knew I would have to convince myself to look away, I stood telling myself I needed to move, to not be caught standing here staring so blatantly at them, but I couldn't quite force myself to make the move away.

The portrait on the left was a black and white of the two of us in the bed at the cabin. Bella lay on her side, her dark hair spread out on the crisp white sheet below her. The curve of her hip, the sight of my pale fingers splayed across her waist was divine. We were not sleeping, obviously, but it looked as though we had been or were about to. The creases in the sheet clearly gave off the impression we'd lain there for some time. Our faces weren't visible, my arm hid Bella's as I cradled her in the nook at my chest, and mine was hidden because the picture only took in Bella with the merest hint of my throat above her head. It was stunning, erotic without being vulgar, sensual without being overtly sexual. Two lovers in an everlasting embrace. Christ I was half hard just standing there.

The portrait on the right was similar though it was obviously taken from a different angle from its neighbor. The same stark white sheet was underneath us, the same black and white printing technique had been used too. But this was of me lying across Bella's stomach. The picture had been taken from behind us so only the slightly cupped shape of my cheek could be seen over my shoulder. The only other feature of mine, that made the picture of me, was my hair although it now took on a slightly sepia tone in the picture. My hand was under my cheek, my fingers cupping it and my eyes were closed in rest. Bella had one hand on the back of my neck, her fingers tangled in my hair and her other hand in the middle of my back, mid stroke. Her rings were clearly visible and the diamonds of her engagement ring against her pale flesh drew the eye to the centre of the picture. The sheet was wrapped around her hips so no hint of her flesh was visible other than the soft swell of the underside of her right breast above my forehead. God it was a glorious shot. I had known the camera was there, perched on the shelf at the windowsill. I knew she had set it to take shots randomly over a number of hours and every now and then I'd heard its soft clicking noise as it processed another snap. But I never for one moment thought she would be capturing shots like these when she asked if there was a camera we cold take with us that weekend.

One thing I knew for certain, we'd never go away again without a camera handy!

"Do you really like them?" Bella whispered, her voice raspy and deep as she roused from her sleep.

"There are no words. That's really us?" I asked, incredulous.

"Of course. You don't think they're too, you know, smutty or something do you?" She was biting her bottom lip and I immediately wanted to launch myself at her and take it between my own teeth for her. Instead I moved to her side of the bed and sat. I took her hand in mine and ran her rings through my fingers as I gazed at them in print above the bed.

"No, I don't think they're smutty at all. I think they're beautiful. We look so…happy…contented…in love…"I trailed off, staring at them again.

"You don't mind then, that the others have seen them?"

"Of course not, why would I? They're perfect, I don't mind if the others have seen them, they're art Bella, not porn." I smiled down at her and she returned my smile with one of her own. I kissed the corner of her mouth and asked how she was feeling.

"Good, getting a little thirsty, but good. What time is it, how long did I sleep this time?" She asked, rubbing her eyes some more.

"Its still early, only just gone nine love." I patted her forearm and she sat up against the headboard. "Can I ask, you took these with that shitty little camera of Esme's?"

"Yeah, but I mean, I could probably have retouched them a bit more." She sat up and then crawled up onto her knees and pointed to the centre of the portrait on the right. "I don't like that shadow there too much, it's far too pale and I'd want to buff that crease out of the sheet just there, but they aren't so bad for a rush job in the middle of an electrical store, are they?" she crinkled up her eyes as she looked at them and I wondered why she was second guessing her own talent.

"God Bella, they're perfect, stunning, brilliant. What I meant was, you took these glorious shots with a cheap digital camera and they've come out like professional portraiture." I skimmed my eyes over the imperfections she had pointed out and I shook my head at her. "I wouldn't have retouched them at all, they are perfect Bella, just like that weekend was love. Have you ever thought of what you could achieve with a better camera?" I smirked.

"Nah, it was just a bit of fun Edward. I've always taken photos, I'm not very often in them though." She got up from the bed and began to search through an open box that was still on the floor in front of the closet. She chose a small packet from it and put it in my hands. "Those are the others I took that weekend. I'm going to go take a shower love." She said as she crossed to the bathroom and shut the door.

**BPOV**

I stood on the scales and grimaced. Another half a pound today. Eek. At this rate I'd be fat by the wedding! I wrote down the figure on the chart Carlisle had left for me and then set about my shower.

When I went back into the room Edward was sitting in the middle of the bed surrounded by piles of photos. "What are you up to there?" I asked.

"These are really good Bella. You have a talent for this. Every shot is unique even if the subject is repeated over and over. This pile is all of the lake but you've picked a different detail to focus on in every shot. Incredible. These ones, what are there, thirty of them, are all of us on that bed but not a single one isn't as perfect as the two you chose for the wall." He shook his head and I heard him say the word "wondrous' in his thoughts.

"Okay, so they're nice pictures, so what?" I pulled out the chair on my side of the desk and sat in it while I dried my hair in the towel.

He left the piles of photos and came and sat opposite me at the desk. He pushed a pile of parcels towards me and grinned at me smugly. 'Ever considered a career in photography?' he thought as I stared wide-eyed at the collection of photographic equipment in the boxes.

"This is what you went out for earlier Edward?" I asked and he nodded. Wow.

"If you can do such exquisite work with a crap camera I can't wait to see what you can produce with a decent set up." he crowed.

"Oh, thank you Edward!" I flung myself into his lap and covered his face with kisses. I had never considered photography before, but if Edward thought my pictures were good I'd not only give it some thought I'd make good use of his gifts tonight and have a crack at it.

**EPOV**

Saturday dawned cold, wet and windy. Perfect for a day driving. I'd told Charlie that we'd collect him at midday and Esme was going to collect Renee, so the morning was free for Bella and I to settle into our new room more fully.

All of the books I'd decided to keep here were in boxes so I fiddled with those, putting them in some sort of order, as Bella set about learning to use her new camera and its associated bits and pieces.

I heard her snap a few shots of me and around the room in practice, getting used to all its dials and settings and I smiled indulgently. I knew she'd like the camera and felt that perhaps photography might be something for her that could be akin to what I felt for music.

I heard the delivery van at the same time that Bella did and I chuckled when I saw the glimmer of excitement in her eyes at the thought of what could be being delivered that day. 'I wonder what he could be bringing?' I mocked silently, earning myself a quick poke of her tongue as she dashed out of the door and down to the driveway.

"Thank you." I heard her rasp as she skipped back into the house with the small brown wrapped parcel. Alice, Esme and Rose came to the living room as soon as Bella was seated on the sofa.

"I wonder what he's thought of this time. Did you see yesterday's Rose, did you know a horseshoe meant that?" Esme asked and Rose shook her head. She began wondering why Emmett never bought her things like that, things that had significance for them. I'd have to clue my other brother in, as I had Jasper.

"Oh, there's two pouches today Esme, look." Bella held out the two black satin pouches in the palm of her hand and all three girls began to hum excitedly with the anticipation.

I stood at the top of the third floor landing, leaning on my forearms, watching them there together. Bella was radiant, stunning, and beautiful as always. More so because she had completely enraptured my entire family as she wound me around her tiny fingers.

"Where's today's note?" Esme huffed as Bella fumbled inside the brown paper wrapping searching for the inevitable note that accompanied each piece.

Bella held the two envelopes above her head and waved them excitedly. "Found them. Which one goes with which? Oh wait, this one says 'Read me first', duh." She giggled. She tugged the lilac page from its sheath and began to read. "My darling Isabella, In 28 days we'll stand before God and declare our bond. Accept this and know that we are being watched over and wear it with my love. I'm yours now and forever, Edward xx"

I watched as the three girls leaned in towards her as she tipped the tiny solid gold angelic cherub into her palm. They all gasped at the same time and then watched fascinated as she pried the link open and slipped it into place on her bracelet. Her wrist was then passed from one to another as each of the women in my life inspected the steady progression of her charm collection.

"He's got this really sweet, romantic side hasn't he?" Rose asked wistfully. "Maybe I was too fucking hasty when I passed him up?" She laughed.

"Rose!" Esme admonished and Rose apologized, falsely.

"He's far too nice for you Rose, you'd chew him up and spit him out." Alice laughed along.

"Hey, that's my man you lot are talking about!" Bella protested with good humour.

"What's in the other one Bell's?" Alice asked, nodding towards the other envelope and pouch.

"How come I got two today Edward?" She asked, smiling up at me from her perch on the sofa.

"Because no matter how terrifying, rich and persuasive a vampire I am, even I can't make UPS deliver on a Sunday, out here in the middle of nowhere." I laughed. "Besides, we'll be out all day tomorrow, they wont leave the parcel if someone isn't here to sign for it." I shrugged and Bella nodded.

"Come on Bella, we have to leave in a second, I wanna see it." Alice whined.

Bella opened the envelope and smiled as she read the note aloud. "My darling Isabella, In 27 days our world will be complete. Please add this token of my affection to your bracelet and know that my whole world revolves around you. It always has and it always will. With all my love and devotion, Edward xx"

She passed the note to Esme who reread it and threw me a beautiful smile and nod of her head before she turned back to watch as Bella tipped tomorrow's charm out into her hand.

"Oh it's a globe. God it's gorgeous. Is it made of crystal Edward?" Alice asked and I shook my head.

"No, it's an etched diamond." I grinned as she gasped. "Do you like it Bella?" I watched her attach it to the bracelet and then she shot off the sofa and was in my arms, laying tiny kisses along my jaw and cheek as she pushed me back towards our room. 'I guess that's a yes then' I told her mutely as I let her push me back onto our new sofa.

**BPOV**

"You're really starting to pick it up now Bell's." Rose said as we made our third circuit of the living room.

"I still have to think really hard about the steps though." I whispered as I kept counting in my head.

"May I cut in?" I heard in a southern drawl as Jasper tapped Rose on her shoulder. He stepped in towards me and took my hand in his and put his palm against my waist. With a brief gentlemanly nod of his head we were off. He was much stronger than Rose, tugging me this way and that as he changed direction with no notice. I wasn't exactly graceful but I managed to keep up with him as he whirled me around the room. Rose shouted the odd instruction but mostly just kept encouraging me.

By the time the third song came to it's close they were both smiling widely and I felt a little better about being able to dance with Edward at our wedding without making a fool of myself.

"Thanks so much you two. I really appreciate it." I curtsied to Jasper and he bent low at his waist and bowed to me before he backed away and took up his normal position on the centre of the sofa.

"You're welcome. Have you given any thought to the music you'd like played on the day?" Rose asked.

"Not really, if Esme and Alice know what they want I'm sure they'll tell me." I giggled and Rose looked at me and shook her head.

"It's your day, you should have what you want. Don't let them railroad you." She said sternly.

"I honestly don't mind what happens on the day, I just want to marry him." I said truthfully.

"Fair enough. Now, if we're finished for the day I'm going to go find Emmett, we have a date with Sam and three very loud motorbikes." She waved to Jasper and I and ran off in the direction of the garage.

"Intense, isn't she?" Jasper laughed as he reached for his gun magazine.

"Yeah, she can be." I giggled plonking myself down opposite him.

"So, how are you feeling?" He asked with a wink. He knew how I was feeling, emotionally anyway, so I knew he didn't mean that.

"Great. Thirsty, but that's usual anyway, other than that I'm all good." I was nervous now. I wanted to spend time with him, just me and him, to get to know him, but I didn't know how to. And I didn't know if he recalled our conversation after my change.

"Do you need to go fill in your chart?" He asked and I smiled. He was trying to take care of me, which was sweet.

"Yep. I'll go do that now. Want to go for a run after that?" I asked trying to make my voice sound as casual as possible.

"Sure. I'll lock up." He smiled and I ran up the stairs and jumped on the scales.

**EPOV**

"And I just pull these little levers towards the wheel and it will change up or down? Charlie looked and sounded terrified as he tried to take in all I was telling him about driving the Veyron.

"Yeah. Left for up, right for down. Everything else is standard Charlie. It's a six speed gearbox but you wont be able to crank it up that high out here anyway, so don't worry about sixth. You'll be great. Just start slow. We'll wait here." I patted him on the forearm and he crinkled his face up in concentration as he let his foot tap lightly on the gas pedal.

The Veyron hummed steadily and I heard Charlie curse under his breath as it shot off up the road as he pulled the left paddle towards the steering wheel.

"How was his mind just then Edward?" Carlisle chuckled as we headed off to the side of the road to wait.

"Terrified, poor man. I don't know what he's more scared of, being in that car with two vampires or killing a half a million dollars worth of car!" I laughed.

"He isn't really terrified of us is he?" Carlisle asked, concerned.

"No, not really. He thinks about it for a split second every now and then, but not much considering how much he knows about us. Remarkable aren't they?" I mused out loud.

"Indeed. How are you holding up son?" He asked and I read in his thoughts that he'd changed the subject and was now asking about the worries I had regarding Bella and our baby.

"I'm okay. I'll be a hell of a lot better when I have a baby in my arms and Bella alive and well beside me, but until then Bella and I have agreed to just – I think she would call it go with the flow." I grimaced at the term.

"And this goes against everything you are, right?" He chuckled and I nodded. It really did. I was prone to worry and she knew it. But if I did mope she'd know it, literally, sometimes I hated being read.

"Listen to that?" I chuckled as Charlie revved the Veyron viciously and threw it into a full power slide about two miles up the highway from where we stood.

"I didn't think you'd let him drive it, you know? I knew you'd invited him, but I never thought you'd go through with it." Carlisle stated matter of factly.

"Why not? It's only a car." I said and I could hear Charlie redline my car as he came into view coming towards us.

"Well, well, well. My little boy is growing up. Only a car!" Carlisle laughed._ 'Twenty years ago you'd have killed if someone put a scratch on your Aston.' _He mused silently.

"That was before I knew Isabella." I whispered as Charlie unfolded himself out of the car and swayed unsteadily beside the road.

"That was fucking awesome!" He crowed and Carlisle and I both cracked up.

**BPOV**

I wasn't burning but I was thirsty, like always, so Jaz indulged me and took me hunting, as well as for a run.

He was a stealthy hunter, quick, agile and fierce. I stood some distance away, perched in a tree, and watched him bring the golden lynx to the ground with precision and grace. Like Emmett he roared into the surrounding forest before he sunk his teeth into its neck and drank lustily.

With a quick swipe of his lips he was back on his feet and scanning his immediate surrounds for signs of either a threat, or me.

"Up here!" I called and waved as he looked to the canopy and spotted me about twenty feet up in a spruce.

He ran towards its base and began to shake it violently, making me giggle loudly. "I'll huff and I'll puff and shake your house down little girl." He yelled up the tree at me, making me laugh harder.

"Not by the hair on your chinny-chin-chin you bugger!" I giggled as I swung from branch to branch until I was at his feet.

"Aah, it's not my wife who insists I refrain from shaving girly." He waggled his finger in my face and I clutched at it playfully. He let me grab it and I pulled his hand into mine and we began to walk back towards the house quite slowly for us.

"Yeah, well. That was back when I kept forgetting you lot could hear every word we said. It's not fair. You'll all get to hang shit on me forever over some of the stupid stuff I said as a human." I pouted.

"If not for that then for something else, trust me. This lot are relentless. It's borne of years of boredom. Things have been decidedly interesting since you 'met' Edward." He pulled his hand from mine and used his fingers to make air quotes around the word met.

I tugged his hand back to mine and smiled. "I still can't believe how everything has changed for me, so quickly too. A few months ago I moved here thinking it would be just another year of boring high school and some time with Charlie. Now look at me?" I asked, turning towards him and walking backwards a little way before turning and facing the path again.

"You're beautiful Bella." He said softly and I stopped dead in my tracks, dropping his hand like it was made of fire. I crinkled my eyebrows together and stared at Jasper intently.

A broad smile appeared on his face and he chuckled softly before he took my hand again and tugged me forwards onto the path again. "Don't panic Bella, I'm not hitting on you." He laughed and I relaxed a little. "I just wanted you to know how lovely you look, as a vampire. I mean, you were always a beautiful girl, but now you're stunning. Like my Alice." He said shyly.

"She is lovely, your Alice." I agreed. "And thank you Jaz, it's very sweet of you."

"You are most welcome ma'am. It drives Eddie to distraction when I call you ma'am, by the way. I have to keep reminding myself to do it, I keep forgetting." He laughed.

"You're a shocker Jaz, but thanks anyway." I laughed. "So what shall we do this afternoon then brother of mine?"

"Aaah, well, I've got something to show you ma'am." He shot me a wicked grin and took off in the direction of the house, calling over his shoulder a dare for me to race him.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

**EPOV**

By four o'clock I was getting nervous. I needed to be back with Bella now. I had enjoyed my afternoon of driving far too fast but now I just wanted to be near her.

'_Are you alright son?'_ Carlisle asked as I once again evacuated myself from the car to let Charlie have a go. I nodded towards Carlisle but he didn't seem convinced and asked again.

"I'm fine. It's stupid. I just worry." I admitted as Charlie roared off down the road chuckling to himself. Carlisle sighed and pulled out his cell phone and began pushing buttons.

"Hello Jasper. I have one very concerned father to be here who wishes to enquire about the well being of his intended... I see… Excellent… Did she? Lovely. Thanks, I'll let him know. Certainly, about half an hour I'd say. Thanks, bye for now." And then he pushed end and turned to me. "She's fine. Jasper took her hunting earlier so she's fed and content. They were just hanging out – his words not mine – but she fell asleep on his bed, which is where she remains. Nothing to worry about."

In his bed? What the fuck was that about? Why were they in Alice and Jasper's room anyway? I needed to get home, now. I turned to Carlisle but he was doubled over laughing and pointing down the road in the direction of home.

"Go. Go on. Your face…too funny…go on Edward, I'll tell Charlie and I'll bring the car home. You go on ahead." He was laughing so hard he was snorting loudly. I didn't even stop to tell him to piss off before I was running.

As I got closer to the house my rage was replaced by panic. I needed to see her, smell her, and taste her urgently. I took all three front steps in one stride and raced to Jasper's room, throwing the door open violently but carefully enough not to let it hit the wall and wake her. She was lying on her side on Alice's bed with a small blanket over her legs. She had her hands under her cheek and she was snuffling gently. The noise was at once familiar and comforting. I took a deep pull of the air and registered her heady scent, swirling it around in my mouth. Oh god, I'd been away from her for four hours and already I was pining for the loss of contact. I wanted to scoop her up into my arms and take her back to our room and lie down with her but she looked far too peaceful, I didn't want to disturb her.

I scanned the room and came to Jasper, seated at his desk but turned towards me and grinning inanely.

"She's fine Edward." He whispered, putting his magazine back in the rack above his head and coming to stand beside me. "You can unclench your fists. Come on." He tugged the shoulder of my shirt out the door and I followed him out into the backyard.

I ran my hand through my hair and paced up and down in a small figure of eight pattern in front of him. My fear, my jealousy, my envy was consuming me. I knew it was illogical, I knew it was misplaced, fuck…I knew it was stupid!

"I'm sorry Jaz. It's not you, it's me." I walked towards him and nudged him at his shoulder and went back to my figure of eight, though now slightly slower.

"Don't be." He said and thought at the same time. It was a comment that surprised me greatly. I expected him to be pissy because I thought he had done something inappropriate with Bella, or that I mistrusted him, but instead he said don't be.

"I am, all the same. It's irrational, I know that." I shook my head in contempt at my own raging emotions.

"I can feel it coming from you, its intense. Fury, passion, fear, longing, need. All normal I reckon." He said quietly with a sideways tilt of his head.

"Is it normal though? I can't seem to go more than a few hours without her before I start imagining all sorts of scenarios where someone will take her from me. Even you!" I pointed at him and he bowed his head.

"Of course it's normal. I was the same, still am, a lot more than I like to admit and a hell of a lot more than I like you to be able to see dude. I've had Alice with me for sixty years, you've had Bella for less than six months, and it's intense. We all know and understand that." He walked back towards the back porch and sat on the bottom step and began pulling at grass stems idly.

I moved to where he sat and crouched down onto my heels. "I don't want to know the answer, but I need to ask. Why is she in your bed?" I was so ashamed of myself for needing to ask I couldn't look him in the eye.

I winced when I heard his curse in his mind. He seemed to think better of voicing it and instead took a deep breath and began slowly, "A full account, from midday when you left to collect Charlie or shall I just do the time I was alone with her Ed?" He asked acidly.

"Whatever you feel you can tell me." I felt a shit for asking but still wanted to know, despite his anger and resentment that I'd asked at all.

He laughed heartily and I looked up to see him smiling down at me from his perch on the step. "Ah Ed, it does my heart good to see you so unsure of yourself." He laughed again, I threw him the bird. "I took her hunting, we walked back -hand in hand before you ask or see it in Alice' head later- then we played Xbox, which she sucks at, then I asked if she'd like to see my library. I figured she liked books judging by the number of cartons I had to carry to the bloody cottage. We talked for ages and then I was reading to her from a World War One diary account when she started yawning so I told her to climb into the bed and I'd keep reading. She fell asleep there and that's where I left her. That's it dude."

I let out a huge sigh of relief, again I was ashamed of feeling relieved, and stood. "Sorry to have asked Jaz. Thanks for looking out for her for me." I offered him my hand and he shook it eagerly.

"No problem. She's my sister dude, nothing more. I do love her though, so if you piss her off I'll have to kick your ass all the same." He laughed and I launched myself at him. Nothing like a friendly wrestling match to use up some nervous energy.

**BPOV**

I woke up in my own bed which was weird because I'd gone to sleep in Alice'.

The television was on which was even weirder, I had never seen Edward watch television before. What he was watching made me gasp.

"Don't laugh Isabella." He called to me over his shoulder and I stifled the giggle that had risen in my throat.

I threw off the blanket and went to sit between his knees on the floor in front of our new TV. He immediately ran his fingers through my hair eliciting a loud purr from my throat.

"How was your drive?" I asked.

"Your dad loved it almost as much as Carlisle and I did. If I thought he'd accept it I'd buy him one of his own."

"Not a chance! I can't believe you are watching this." I tapped his knee and heard him curse in his mind.

"Yeah, well, Emmett asked me why we never watched TV together so I thought I had better give it a try. I'm sorry I did though. Is this really what people spend hours in front of?" He asked.

"Sorry but yeah, it is. Although, grown men don't tend to sit in front of The Simpson's too often." I giggled.

"Oh I don't know, Homer sort of reminds me of Emmett in a lot of ways and Marge is soooo Esme!" He chuckled.

"Speaking of which, are they back yet?" I asked.

"Nope. You'll probably miss them if they don't come back soon." He said and I wondered why I'd miss seeing them.

"Why would I miss them? Where am I going?"

"Not you, us. Alice has put a garment bag in the closet for you and we need to be out of the house by six love." He said casually.

"I noticed you didn't answer my question, where are we going?" I searched his head to see what he was trying to avoid but only heard his recitation of the Forks High School pledge. Nicely played Mr Cullen I chuckled.

"Please don't ruin my surprise Bella." He said, bending over and kissing the top of my head. "Now, you go off and get yourself ready and I'll go take a shower in Emmett's room and get dressed. I'll see you at the foot of the stairs at six, yes?" He asked, rising from the sofa.

"Ok, sure." I said, getting to my feet and heading to the bathroom. "Hey Edward?" I called as he stuck his head back through the bedroom door, eyebrow cocked. "Is this, like, a date or something?" I giggled.

"I guess it is, yes. In that case I shall call for you at six Isabella. I'd like to meet your parents before we leave." And with that he was gone. I could still hear him laughing as he ran down the stairs to Rose and Emmett's room.

**EPOV**

My foot tapped absently against the firewall of the car and my fingers drummed the dashboard in some nonexistent rhythm.

I couldn't contain myself. I still had fifteen minutes before six and it was killing me thinking about her in our shower, dressing in our room, wondering what Alice had left for her to wear. I knew she'd like the gallery, I had no doubt about that. There was no hurry to get there, it was only Port Angeles and the humans who would be viewing the exhibition tonight would be going for dinner dates before the showing, something we didn't have to bother with.

I'd driven down the driveway and parked just off to the right, ready to swing back around and go and collect her for our 'date'.

I made a mental note to take her on dates even after we were married. I was sure I could find things to entertain us, like normal human couples and I knew Bella would enjoy that too. The nervous anticipation of time spent together hadn't diminished at all even now that she lived with me. I only had one more hellish week of school to contend with and then four weeks of bliss by her side.

I checked my watch for the hundredth time and chuckled darkly as the second hand ticked over six o'clock. Ready or not here I come Miss Swan I thought as I threw the Guardian into drive.

Within seconds I was knocking on my own front door and being greeted by Carlisle and Esme in the foyer.

Bella stood at the foot of the stairs in a chocolate brown wrap dress and she looked breathtakingly beautiful. Her smile lit up the foyer and I had to use every ounce of self-control I could muster not to move toward her and just take her into my arms. This was supposed to be a date and I needed to play my role in order to make this what Bella wanted, normal.

Carlisle and Esme stepped aside slightly and invited me in, I stood inside the door and kept my gaze on Bella. "Good evening Bella, you look lovely." I smiled at her and she took a small step toward me. Both my 'parents' were grinning widely and their mental thoughts were only those of mirth and good humor as I shook Carlisle's hand and introduced myself to them both as Bella's date.

"What time can we expect you to bring her home Edward?" Carlisle asked, keeping up the charade.

"Ah, well. We won't be back until tomorrow morning, mid morning at that, sir." I grinned.

"I see. I hope I can trust you to take good care of her then?" Esme laughed and I nodded.

"Edward?" Bella asked, cocking her head to the side. I knew she was surprised that we'd not be home until tomorrow but for now I tried my best to ignore that and kept reciting the school pledge over and over in order to keep my secret from her.

"We have reservations in Port Angeles and should begin the drive." I said noncommittally.

"Right, well, you two kids have a nice evening and we'll see you tomorrow morning then." Carlisle said, grinning.

"Okay, I guess I'll see you tomorrow mom and dad." Bella giggled and I took her hand in mine and tugged her out of the front door towards the car. I settled her into the passenger seat, as I had so many times when she was human, and ran to the drivers side before roaring out of the driveway in a spray of gravel and dust.

"You look ravishing Isabella." I whispered as I pulled the Guardian onto the highway heading towards Port Angeles.

"Thank you. You look so handsome tonight Edward. I do love you in a dark suit." She giggled and I looked down at my suit and smiled. I liked this suit too.

"Thank you." I knew she wanted to know where we were going and why but I was determined to take her on a 'real' date so I kept my thoughts to anything other than that as we drove.

**BPOV**

He looked better than handsome, he looked fucking edible! I wanted him to cut out the 'I'm the well behaved boyfriend' routine and pull over and take me, hard!

I stifled the moan that sat at the back of my throat and instead I tried to concentrate on the conversation.

"Angela said things have settled down a bit now, that Seth and Mike's fight was the new topic on everyone's lips last night at bowling." I said by way of contributing.

'_Bowling! Ha! Fucking amateurs.'_ I heard Edward think before he replied to my comment verbally. "Oh good, maybe I'll be spared anymore rumors about you and I."

"If they're amateurs what does that make you Edward?" I laughed.

"Oh, shit. Well…I didn't mean…I mean…I didn't want to imply I know what I'm doing…I mean, shit." He stumbled and I laughed harder. "Hey, don't laugh. I'm really trying here. This dating business, human dating, is bloody tricky Bella." He chuckled.

"I know it is. I remember how nervous I was on our first date Edward. You looked like someone ran over your dog when we got to the parking lot at the school."

"Ha! Well, if you had to listen to every single voice in the whole school calling you horrid names because you dared turn up on the arm of the most beautiful, and most coveted, girl in the place you'd have looked a bit peeved too!" He crowed, throwing his head back and laughing heartily.

"I may not have had to listen to all those voices Edward, but I had to contend with every female eye in the place mentally undressing you that night. I was just as peeved, trust me." I replied quietly. I hated thinking about how fragile our relationship had been back then. I hated thinking about what might have been, had he chosen not to tell me or if he'd run away on any of the number of times he'd tried. I shuddered and his gaze immediately fell to my belly. "I'm fine Edward. Stop panicking." I grinned as he relaxed back into his seat again.

The rest of our journey we talked about our upcoming trip to Italy and about all the things he wanted to show me whilst we were there. We only had two days, one of those wasn't even a full day, as we'd be leaving in the evening, so it was going to be a tight schedule if we wanted to do half of what he had planned. Lucky we didn't need sleep. Well, lucky he didn't.

Edward pulled the car into a parking lot at the back of a row of small shops in a part of town I'd never been to. The streets were dark except for the feint glow from old-fashioned street lamps that gave off a hazy shimmer.

"How did you do this with Esme, love?" He asked as he turned the car off and shifted until he was facing me. I could hear the fear and worry for my safety and wellbeing in his mind as he thought about whether this, whatever this was, was such a good idea.

"We just sat for a bit. I'll open the window and keep letting it down until I'm a little more used to the scents around me. I'll be fine Edward. I can always run if it gets too much. It would help if I knew what we were here for though." I hedged.

"Ok, you crack open that window and I'll tell you why we're here." He grinned. He waited until I opened the window an inch before he began. I couldn't really smell too much of anything as we were sat at the rear of the shops, not in the street where the humans would be walking. But there was a faint trace of human so I took a long hard pull and steadied myself for the onslaught when I opened the door. "God you're so amazing." He whispered and took my hand and raised it to his lips. "Okay, so I know how much you enjoy taking photos and I was so impressed with your prints on our bedroom walls I thought you might like to have a think about what you want to do after high school." He tilted his head to one side and waited while I opened the window another inch. Again, no burst of scent but it was an increase in the burn I already felt.

"I haven't finished high school yet Edward." I sighed. I wondered if I'd ever get the chance to finish high school now we were pregnant.

"I know that, but there is plenty of time Bella. I don't want you to think, now that we're having a baby, that your aspirations have to come to an end. You can do anything that you choose, I want you to be able to do what makes you happy." He said, kissing my engagement ring and then my palm.

I opened the window further and drew in a long, slow breath. I could hear a human couple exiting a car a few rows back from where we sat parked and their scents hit me with a blast as the cool night air fluttered across my face. I ignored it though, I wasn't thirsty and I knew I could resist if I concentrated on them being people rather than humans with no names and histories. I looked towards Edward and knew I had to ask the next question, regardless of his answer. "Edward, why aren't you doing what makes you happy?"

"Ah. Well. That's complicated." He sighed and I knew I had to press him.

"I think I can keep up." He returned my smile.

"At first I wanted to become a doctor like Carlisle but because I was turned so young I'd never be able to practice, not really. Nobody would ever take me seriously as a doctor so I gave that idea up a few decades ago." He sighed heavily and I knew he regretted not having had the chance to help people that way.

"And music?" I asked.

"Yes well. Over the years I have dabbled in all kinds of musical projects but as yet I've not devoted a lot of my time to doing anything with it seriously." He sounded sad about that although his mental voice belied nothing other than what he'd just shared.

"Well then, once we are happily ensconced in our cottage you'll have to devote some time to it, wont you?" I said matter of factly.

He threw me the most amazing smile I'd seen all day and then winked at me pointedly. "Yes Isabella, that would be grand in the scheme of things. However, I fear, once I have you all to myself at that cottage there will be little time for music." He kissed my palm and ran his tongue along my wrist and I shivered.

"Be that as it may, we can't sit here all night. Show me what you've bought me here for Edward." I said cheekily.

"Are you ready then love?" He asked and I nodded. "I don't imagine there will be hordes of humans inside here Bella, but I can't be certain until we get there. How would you like to do this?" He asked again.

**EPOV**

I was about ready to forsake the gallery and just have her.

She was being so goddamned brave sitting in the car with the windows down as human groups and couples moved past us that I wanted to just take her somewhere quiet and tell her, show her, make her see just how amazing I thought she really was.

"Please don't spend too much time thinking about the humans Edward." She grimaced and I cursed myself in my brain for making her pain worse. "Let's go inside now, I can handle it, I promise."

I nodded and went around to help her out of the car. I kissed her hand as she came to stand beside me and then I led us around the front of the row of shops. As we came to the gallery entrance I stopped and let her look in the windows at the exhibitions. She gasped when she saw the portrait photos hung on stark white walls and I felt her fingers grip mine a tiny fraction tighter as her excitement built. "Would you like to go in and take a closer look?" I asked and she nodded quickly.

"Oh yes." She said then took a large gulp of the fresh outside air as I opened the door and ushered her inside the gallery.

There were eight humans in this front room of the gallery so I stood very close to Bella as she took in her surroundings carefully. She clocked each of the humans and I saw her peer at them carefully each in turn before turning to the next. I would ask her about that later.

After she had looked at each of the people in the room with us she took a first step towards the artwork that adorned the walls.

There were a dozen prints of varying sizes in the front room but each of them were of fall colored landscapes. They were each by a different photographer and each had a different aspect or point of reference. One was the leaves themselves another had a focal point at the edge of a river. There was another that was totally dominated by the moss on the base of a thick spruce tree. They were good but they weren't as alluring at what Bella had taken. I was done with these and was ready to move through to the next room so I used my time watching Bella look at the photos.

She tilted her head this way and that as she took in each subject in each frame. She wasn't breathing so I kept a good portion of my attention on who was thinking what around us, but nobody was too concerned with the beauty in the brown dress looking at the photos, apart from the bearded man across the room who was busy admiring my fiancés legs. I turned sharply and shot him a withering look which made him jump and startle before turning back to gawp at the photo directly in front of him again. His thoughts did not stray towards Bella again while we were in the front room.

I stood slightly behind Bella, one hand resting lightly on her hip, as she looked over the photos carefully. I moved closer to her and breathed her in. Glorious. I whispered to her, "Of these which do you like best and why?"

I wasn't sure if she would be able to answer me as that would mean she'd need to open her mouth, but I wanted to know what she thought nonetheless. She turned and stood directly in front of the moss-covered tree. "This one is my favorite. The subject matter is nothing but the use of the natural light is fantastic. The green is so intense it has to be a light technique, not natural. Its very intense, don't you think?" She gulped the air again and went back to holding her breath as I stared once again at the photo.

"I see a moss covered tree where you see beauty and intensity." I chuckled against her slender neck. "Would you like to come and see some others?" I asked and she nodded. I tugged her hand and moved us on through the gallery further until we were standing in another stark white room. This time the photographs were black and white still lifes.

Another dozen framed prints hung on the walls here and Bella moved to the first one inside the room and began to trace her eyes along it's lines. It was an innocuous basket of bread but seeing it in black and white made it look slightly insidious. Well, to me it did anyway. Like the bread was old or poisoned.

"Not poisoned Edward, inedible. That's the point. Look at them all. Photographic still lifes like these aren't like painted ones. Painted ones are about preserving the life of the object in paint so that even though the flowers or objects might one day die there will be a record of them for eternity." She took another breath, squared her shoulders and then continued. "With still like photography its more about the way the object is presented, not preserved. With paint you can create dimension. You can't do that with still life photography so you have to use light and shadow and colour to make the image. Making these pictures black and white on purpose makes the object dead. Or in this case inedible. It's done on purpose." She finished with a nod towards the other pictures and I began to see what she could see.

The bread, some apples in the next picture, and a crate of bottled water two pictures down. They were all pictures of something organic but they all looked dead. Well, not dead exactly, they all looked not alive. I, as well as Bella, knew the difference between not alive and dead.

I watched her looking at the photos and became enthralled as she moved between them. She glided along between the six pictures on the left hand wall and then did the same against the opposite wall with the next six. She made no comment and I kept quiet too, happy to just watch her.

When she was done in this room I motioned towards the last of the rooms, at the rear of the building, and then I ushered her through into it. As soon Bella spotted the portraits here she stopped and gasped with pleasure.

Twenty-two enormous portraits hung from the, by now expected white walls. These were human subjects, all of them. Many were nude, some were of children but all were stunningly beautiful. As was Bella while she studied them.

**BPOV**

The exhibition was fantastic!

It was perfect. I hadn't realized just how much I enjoyed taking photographs until I had someone to appreciate them. Edward had liked the photos I'd taken whilst we were away and he was encouraging me to use the gear he'd bought me, so maybe he was as interested to see what I could produce as I was?

He stood behind, or beside me the whole time in the gallery and never let my hand go. I was entranced by the portraits.

They were stunning. All very different but stunning all the same.

"Which is your favorite in here?" Edward asked as we stood in front of a photo of a small girl sitting in a wheelbarrow in amongst fall leaves.

"That one." I pointed towards a portrait of a woman's back. It was black and white, which seemed to be a bit of a favorite of mine too. It was taken of her from bottom to shoulder, following the curve of her hip and it was taken from behind her. She had her arms wrapped around her belly and the fingers of one hand were showing across her waist. It was very sensual. The soft curve of her breast was visible but not in a pornographic way. She looked lovely, soft. Her skin was luminous and even in the grey shades of the printing it was obvious that she had a flawless complexion.

"Why that one Bella?" He asked and I heard him thinking the one beside it was much nicer. I took another look at that one and stifled a giggle.

It was a huge nude, full body length of a male, full frontal too which made me miss my human blush!

"Once you've experienced perfection there is no going back Edward." I whispered and placed a soft kiss at the corner of his mouth, earning me a deep groan in return.

'_Indeed, that's why I find nothing alluring about the female nude in front of you.'_ He told me silently as we stood hand in hand staring at the photos again.

There was a man standing beside us who instantly made my throat burn and I stiffened as he came to stand a little closer, bending over to look at the fine detail of the portrait. I felt Edward tense behind me so I squeezed his hand tightly in mine. '_You need to hunt, come.'_ Edward tugged on my hand and I let him lead me out of the gallery and to the rear of the parking lot where the trees joined the asphalt. He kissed me lightly at the corner of my lips and then pulled back to say, "I'll race you to the elk, five miles to the north, the winner names the prize."

I smiled widely and nodded before darting off as fast as I could in the direction of the elk.

I heard him behind me so I called to ask whether he was letting me win on purpose. Within half a second he had overtaken me and I'd lost sight of him as he rounded the bend up ahead. Damn! He was so fast, there was no way for me to win now. Unless…

I stopped dead in my tracks and called to him using a soft, gentle voice. "Edward, baby." While I waited to see if he'd turn around and come back I undid the tie at the side of my dress and let it fall open to my waist. The coffee colored bra would be clearly visible if he stepped back through the trees. I tossed my hair over my left shoulder so that my tattoo was clearly visible too. All the better to distract you with, my pretty, I thought as I waited.

I heard his footsteps and the panic in his brain as he ran back towards me. I felt bad that he thought I was hurt or something was wrong from the timbre of my call, but all was fair in love and prizes after all. He came into view and I heard him suck in a heavy breath. "What is it love?" He called as he ran towards me, obviously worried.

"Oh Edward, I'm so sorry for frightening you." I purred as I took him into my arms. I kissed his temple and felt him relax a little. "But…well…you once said I was a dangerous creature…and well, I thought, I'd cheat." And with that I patted his ass and ran as fast as I could.

**EPOV**

Son of a bitch! She'd played me!

I took off through the trees as fast as I could go but I knew the game was already lost. She had a half second head start and with her newborn reflexes and speed she'd be at the herd already.

My relief that she wasn't hurt or in danger was quickly displaced by the amusement of having been fucked with so thoroughly. She really **was** a dangerous creature!

I slowed as I came to where the scent of the animals was beginning to strengthen and cautiously made my way into the clearing where Bella could be seen lying under a large male elk. Her eyes were straining in my direction and I knew she could see me as well as smell me now. I kept my distance, still unsure if she was able to have me near her when she fed, and watched as her eyes closed and a satisfied grumble came out of her chest. I leaned up against the nearest tree and watched intently as she drained the last of the elk. With a soft sigh she rose and put the elk back on the ground tenderly. Gone was the primal flinging of the carcass and in its place was a gentle reverence for the animal that had given its life so she may have hers. With a renewed amount of awe and respect for her I walked into the clearing and took her hand in mine.

"You are so beautiful when you hunt Isabella." I whispered as I kissed down her neck and towards her collarbone. She had retied the dress so her skin was covered but I couldn't help sliding a finger along the neckline and tracing her tattoo. She moaned and pressed herself into me as I sucked her skin into my mouth. "Name your prize." I growled.

She laced her hands into my hair and pulled my mouth harder onto her skin and hissed "Take me to the hotel Edward and I'll show you what I want for my prize."

I bit down on her throat and moaned then threw her over my back, as I had done when she was human, and ran back towards where the car was parked.

I'd not taken more than three steps when I smelled him. Another three paces and I could hear him. Fuck.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

**BPOV**

I heard Edward curse a blue streak in his mind as he put me back on my feet. "What is it?" I asked and he shook his head minutely and nodded toward a break in the trees to our left.

'_Vampire. Not a friend. Short, sharp, aggressive answers Isabella. Nod if you understand me.'_ He said silently and I nodded carefully, making sure he saw. He threaded my fingers through his and held me tightly beside him.

I suddenly felt the new vampire near us and I turned to take in his scent, storing it away for future reference as Carlisle had taught me to do. I could smell the human blood mixed with his scent, he'd fed recently.

A dark shape came out of the trees towards us and Edward stiffened beside me. I held firm, waiting for his instructions before I defended.

As the figure moved towards us I took in the sight of him. Tall with dark skin and dreadlocked hair that hung passed his shoulders. He wore a black suit with nothing on his torso and the jacket unbuttoned. His hands were wrapped in cloth and his fists clenched at his sides as he approached us, somewhat cautiously.

His nostrils flared as he came to stand before us, his head bowed in a form of greeting.

"Good evening. I am Laurent, I am pleased to meet your acquaintance." He whispered, holding his hand towards Edward.

'_Don't flinch when I lie.'_ Edward told me before he reached across the gap between us and took Laurent's hand. "Peter, this is my mate, Maria." He said and I nodded towards our new 'friend'.

"She is newborn?" He asked, tilting his head as if to take in my burgundy eyes better.

"Yes." Was Edward's only answer. He let go of Laurent's hand and pulled me to him, wrapping his free hand around my waist as if to further announce his claim to me.

I felt Edward's phone beep and then begin to vibrate in his pocket and knew it was a warning. When he ignored it mine began to ring and then to vibrate when it went unanswered. _'Ignore it, it's Alice.'_ Edward told me and I squeezed his hand to let him know I understood.

"Does she speak?" He laughed in my direction.

"Of course." I spat back, trying to be aggressive whilst giving Edward's requested short answer, without actually hissing.

"Indeed. Vegetarians I assume?" He barked at Edward, who stiffened again.

"Yes." Was Edward's only answer, but the way it was delivered could never be misconstrued as friendly. He squared his shoulders as Laurent stared at us both in turn.

"Cullen's?" He questioned, his eyebrow lifting.

"Yes." I said when Edward told me silently to tell the truth.

"Well, then, I hope I have not interrupted your evening. I will bid you farewell. Goodnight Peter, Maria." Laurent bowed his head and with one further look over his shoulder at us he was gone, through the trees and away. We both stood stock still and after a few moments Edward flared his nostrils as if to make sure his scent was gone from the area before he turned to me, cupped my cheek in his hand and threw me over his back.

'_We need to be at home, now.' _He all but screamed in his mind as he ran us back towards the Guardian. He threw me into the passenger seat and was in and driving before I had my phone in my hand, dialing Alice.

"Alice." I barked into it when she answered.

"Are you okay? I only saw him approaching you, not an outcome. Where are you now?" She was obviously panicked, though I had no idea why.

"We're fine, on our way back. Fifteen minutes tops I'd say." I looked towards Edward and he nodded his approval at my estimation.

"We'll be waiting." With that she clicked off the connection and I was left in silence as Edward ran over and over the encounter in his brain.

They were all waiting around the dining room table when we got home. Carlisle looked tense and Emmett was clenching his fist over and over on the tabletop. We took our seats and Edward began.

"Laurent is his name. I have never encountered him before. His scent was unfamiliar to me." Edward ran his hand through his hair and I waited to find out why this man was so obviously dangerous to me, to us.

"Does anyone else recognize the name?" Carlisle asked to a round of no's from the others. "What did you glean from his thoughts Edward?"

"He's no friend of ours. He was amused that we were vegetarians. He knew about the Cullen coven and asked if we were members of it, despite having given him false names, he already knew that we were. He's not traveling alone, there are two others. They were off hunting on their own." Edward answered and Emmett rose and began pacing the length of the room.

"What's he want then?" Emmett asked, just as I was thinking exactly the same thing.

'_He wants my unborn fucking baby, that's what he wants!'_ Edward stormed in his mind and I gasped, loudly. All eyes turned to me at the sound and Edwards' eyes shot open wide when he realized that I'd heard him.

**EPOV**

"Oh god Bella, I'm so sorry, you…I… you shouldn't worry…we'll…god." She looked so fucking frightened and it was all my fault. I pulled her chair to me closer and took her hand in mine, I kissed her fingers and then held her hand tightly in my own on top of the table. My whole family was staring at us expectantly and it took me a few moments before I realized they had not shared any of that with us and I needed to bring them into the fold in order to protect Bella and our baby. "Laurent's companions are a mated pair. He was thinking how happy the female, Victoria her name is, would be to have a child for herself. He was trying to decide whether to tell Victoria that Bella had just such a baby growing inside of her. One that would be half vampire half human. He was thinking that sort of baby would be infinitely more appealing to Victoria than a fallible, fragile human one that would ignite her bloodlust. I won't let that happen, I promise." I kissed her hand again and watched as her face clouded over in fear.

"Edward, this isn't the first time they've tried this." Alice whispered and I stared at her in horror.

"What do you mean?" I asked gravely.

"James is her mate, Victoria's mate. We've heard of them before, right Jaz?" She replied but looked to Jasper who was nodding solemnly.

"Right. Before we came to you Carlisle. Memphis. About 1960 or so. James and Victoria cut quite a swathe through the city trying to extract babies from their mothers. Victoria went so far as to let James have his way with a human girl to try and impregnate her but to no avail. He couldn't control himself and she died long before she ever had a chance to conceive." Jasper hung his head and Esme began to sob quietly against Carlisle's shoulder.

Rose looked horrified and Emmett put his arm across the back of her chair and began to rub circles across her shoulder. "How would Laurent know that Bella was pregnant? None of us picked it up before you told us Edward." She asked.

"I don't know. He seems savvy when it comes to relationships I think. He knew straight away that we were a mated pair, which at first I wrote off as his having stumbled across us after the hunt, we were being quite intimate at the time. But then when he began to run through our family tree in his mind I knew he was gifted. He placed me within this coven instantly, Bella beside me as my mate, our baby in her belly, and you, Carlisle as our leader." I shook my head again as I thought over his confidence that he had picked me, placed me, so correctly, so easily.

"Alright. For now we know they are near, Alice can see them and Edward can hear them. We stick to two groups, with either Edward or Alice in one at all times. Bella is never, ever left alone and we again prepare to flee if need be." Carlisle spoke calmly but I could hear and read his fear as he looked at each of us around the table.

Bella hadn't spoken the entire time and I was worried at her stillness. I squeezed her hand a little more tightly and she turned her face to mine. Her eyes were glassy and hooded, she looked near breaking point. "Carlisle." I whispered and when I had his attention I turned towards Bella and his gaze followed. He took in her condition, her quietness and her lack of contribution before he asked me to take her up to bed saying he'd be along shortly.

"No." Bella said quietly, her voice startling me from my own thoughts. "You don't get to do this anymore Edward." She whispered. She looked towards Rose who nodded almost imperceptibly and Bella continued, staring me straight in the eye. "I was changed so I could be a part of this family and you have to let me be that now. I'm sorry, again, everyone, that I'm what is making this family a target and that you might have to fight for me, again. But this time I'm strong. This time I wont sit idly by while you all risk yourselves for me. We need to contact the wolves, now, before this gets out of hand. We need help to patrol the area. Alice, what can you tell us about James?" She asked, shocking me to my core.

"Um, not much. He's a tracker. That's all I know." Alice said. I heard her mental voice falter for a few seconds as she answered, clearly shocked that Bella seemed to be taking control of the meeting in this way.

"Jaz?" Bella asked.

"Like Alice said, he's a tracker. A bloody good one by all accounts. The girl worried me more than James did though Bella. She's unhinged, not right. She was even back then. She'll be unpredictable." Jasper replied directly to Bella, as if she were now in control of the whole situation.

"Give it up Edward. I don't want control of anything. But this is my baby too and I have a right to know what's coming for it, for us. I agree that we should all be in constant contact with either you or Alice until we can work out what these three are up to, but I don't think we should be planning to flee. They'll follow, wont they Alice?" Bella asked and Alice nodded sagely.

"What are you thinking Bella?" Carlisle asked and I cursed him for giving way to Bella's lack of self-preservation.

"It's not a lack of self-preservation Edward, I just want to know what the hell is coming for me and when. Carlisle, we have to be proactive. We sat and waited with the Jacob situation and look what happened. I don't want that to happen again, not when the safety of a baby is concerned. We have to contact the wolves, see what they can offer us in the way of information or manpower." Bella spoke as though she were the general in an army, not a newborn vampire. I was in awe of her, as ever.

**BPOV**

If Edward didn't stop with the panic merchant worry in his head I would smother him myself just to make his mental voice shut the hell up!

I'm not, and I never was, the delicate little flower he thought me to be. I was quite capable of taking care of myself, even more so now that I am a vampire. I knew he'd take a while to adjust to me not being quite so fragile, but the time was fast approaching where he needed to just man the fuck up and get with the program. I am vampire, hear me roar and all that shit.

"Edward and I will go to the Rez and speak with Sam and the tribunal in the morning. You're right Bella. If we flee they'll follow, that will only complicate matters. We need to be here, where we know the lie of the land and have the wolves on our side. If it comes to a fight we'll have them, as back up, I'm sure. I'll leave it up to you what you tell your parents, if anything, Bella. Esme will you please contact our Denali cousins and ask if they know of this group?"

"Of course." Esme answered.

"Good. Stay close everyone." Carlisle said as he pushed his chair back and reached for Esme's hand and led her up the stairs to their suite.

Edward was running through what he wanted to say to the wolves tomorrow, he was focused on the glass wall at the back of the room. I could see Alice and Jasper having a silent conversation with their eyes. Rose had her head in her hands with her head down against the tabletop as Emmett whispered softly into her ear. He was trying to reassure her that they'd protect the baby and me and that he promised that they'd have a baby in the house.

This was all my fault, again.

I tugged my hand out of Edward's and quickly left the room, making my way to the backdoor and out into the yard. I didn't get far before they were all there with me, a ring around me like a protective shield.

"You can't come out here alone now Bella." Edward said quietly and I nodded.

Jasper came round and stood at my left as Edward came and took my right hand. "It will all be okay, we won't let anything happen to you." Jasper said, reaching down and taking my hand into his. I felt Edward stiffen as he did it and I shot him a warning glance, to which he grimaced and apologized in his head.

"There's eight of us and only three of them sissy, it's a crap shoot. Like shooting fish in a barrel honey." Emmett said eagerly and both Rose and Alice nodded their agreement.

"Does it come down to a fight Alice? Can you see that?" I asked.

"I can't see that yet, if it does. There might be a whole host of decisions that need to be made before I can see what's coming Bella. But I will see it. It's quite possible they'll just leave, don't forget that's possible." She answered.

"I hope so." I whispered and they were all silent for a few minutes as they digested all that had been said both inside and outside the house. I turned to Edward when he began to curse his existence in his mind and I tugged on his hand to bring him back to me. "Edward, please." I said quietly and he nodded.

"Esme wants to know if any of you want to change our plans for tomorrow?" Edward asked after a few silent seconds, he was obviously reading Esme as he stood beside me.

The other two couples looked towards each other and then they turned back to Edward and said no, nobody wanted to cancel the plans for tomorrow's fun. It was agreed that we'd go, as planned, to the beach with my parents and we'd enjoy the day come what may. Edward and I excused ourselves to go hunt as the others wound their way back towards the house hand in hand.

**EPOV**

I watched as she bought the deer to her lap and closed her jaw over its neck. From my perch high in the tree I surveyed the surrounds carefully, watching and listening for any signs of Laurent or his friends. I took another – probably the hundredth look if I was honest – at my cell phone's display in case I'd missed a message or call from Alice whilst I'd run with Bella. The display was dormant and I sighed in relief, again.

I wanted to try to remain as calm as possible around Bella, she didn't need any more stress than what she was already dealing with. What with being a newborn and all that it entailed, being pregnant, a wedding to organize, going to Italy, missing school and having to catch up then resit missed exams…now this mess…I was going to have to work hard to stay focused and composed when near her. Being read was going to make that an awful lot harder.

"I can hear your self loathing Edward." Bella called as she placed the body of the deer at the foot of a nearby rock and came to stand at the base of the tree where I sat. "Come down, let's go home to bed love." She called, holding her hand out to me as I swung down the branches.

"Sorry, I don't mean to mope. I'm just worried. Once Alice sees something resolute I'll be much better, I promise." I kissed her fingers and led her back towards the house.

Nine o'clock Sunday morning saw myself and Carlisle waiting at the entrance to the La Push reservation for Sam and Seth to greet us and usher us inside the compound. I was nervous, despite Sam's assurances that we would be perfectly welcome by if not all the occupants, then most of them.

"It will be fine Edward. We have a good bond with the wolves. Even if they decide not to participate in this we've still got numbers." Carlisle clapped me on the back by way of encouragement and I grimaced at his false bravado.

"Sure, sure." I replied in a sullen voice. "They're thirty seconds away." I nodded towards the gravel road in the direction they would appear.

They strode towards us and Seth raised his fist and I bumped it eagerly. Carlisle looked on, amused, and shook Sam's outstretched hand. When Seth stepped toward Carlisle he held his fist out and Carlisle let out another hearty chuckle as he bumped his fist against Seth's.

"Thank you for seeing us Sam." I said as I shook his hand.

"No problem at all. The tribunal has convened at my house, come on through." He nodded to Seth and they began to walk back through the Rez at a leisurely pace. We followed close behind.

Sam held open the door of a small cottage that was set back amongst some trees a few hundred meters into the reservation proper. Carlisle passed through it and I followed. Inside were the entire pack, plus three seated elderly men who I could tell from Sam's mental state were the tribunal members, or elders of the tribe. We were introduced to them in turn, Billy Black – Jacob's father – Harry Clearwater and Tommy Call. I had met Sue Clearwater and assumed this was either her husband or her brother. Mr Call I'd not met but knew the name, he was a relative of Embry's.

We were ushered to a pair of seats that had been placed so they faced the three elders and could be clearly seen by the other members of the pack from where they sat dotted around the room. The atmosphere was not tense but there were a few worried thoughts as Carlisle and I prepared to state our case for assistance.

"Welcome to the La Push Tribunal sitting. Please state your name and business." Billy Black announced as the pack members took their seats.

"I am Carlisle Cullen, this is my son Edward. We've recently been made aware of a threat to the area and wish to ask for the packs assistance in keeping the peace in and around our twin territories." Carlisle said this quietly and with as much reverence as I'd heard from him in over a decade.

"This threat is from more of your kind?" Billy asked.

"Yes. Three. Traveling together. It is not unusual for small groups to come into the area, though this group is by no means friendly." Carlisle clarified, trying to impress on the tribunal that these particular vampires are not allies of ours nor do we want them near us, either.

"Are we to assume that this group do not share your dietary habits?" Harry asked with a grimace.

"That is correct. You will need to increase your patrols of your territory whilst they are in the area. I cannot confirm nor deny how long they intend to stay."

"You have made contact with them though you cannot tell us why they are here or for how long?" Tommy asked and I could tell from his body language and mental thoughts that he was skeptical that we had anything other than our own best interests at heart.

"Allow me Carlisle." I said and Carlisle nodded as I began to address the tribunal myself. "I made the acquaintance of a vampire named Laurent last night whilst in Port Angeles with my mate. He approached us during our hunt and had recently fed himself. He instantly knew from which clan I hailed and had also quickly deduced that my mate is with child. This seems to be some sort of gift or ability he possesses. I used my own ability to read his thoughts to ascertain what his intentions in the area were. One of his group is a woman, Victoria, she is obsessed with the notion of having a child to raise but of course this is impossible given her unchanging state. Laurent has returned to his group with the knowledge that my mate is having a child, they will begin their preparations to remove the child from us. By force if necessary." I finished my speech and returned to my seat to the loud mental thoughts of the pack calling for the blood of the trio of nomads.

"Do you think the other two will want to take your baby Edward?" Sam asked. He was astonished with the news I had bought and offered me both his support and his sympathy mentally.

"Yes Sam, we do think they will plan to do just that. My brother Jasper has had some limited contact with this group before, in Memphis during the 60's. He tells us the woman was unstable then and obsessive about becoming a mother even that long ago. I have no doubt that Laurent will assist them in this." The room suddenly became loud as all the wolves voiced their revulsion at the idea of Bella's and my baby being harmed.

Billy Black held his hand up for silence and the room became quiet instantly. "Are you able to protect your mate whilst she is on your territory?" He asked and I confirmed that we were able to do that. "Our Alpha will come to your residence this evening and I ask that you make every effort to track at least this Laurent's scent so that the pack can familiarize itself with it. We will increase our patrols of our own borders until such time as you advise us the threat is removed."

"Thank you." Carlisle said on behalf of us both.

"If the threat escalates you have the packs support Edward, always." Sam stood and offered me his hand as his bond. I took it eagerly and thanked him. "Give Bella our best, please." He told me as Carlisle and I were once again ushered to the gate of the reservation by both Sam and Seth.

"I'm suspended tomorrow, mind if I come by to see Bella?" Seth asked and I told him that would be fine. Carlisle and I ran home as fast as we could to relay the outcome of the meeting to the others.

**BPOV**

Carlisle and Edward returned with the news that the pack would support any decision we made with regard to Laurent, Victoria and James. I sighed heavily in relief at that. Knowing there was a dozen huge wolves patrolling the area and also keeping a lookout for three nutters who planned to take my baby made me feel at least a little more at ease than I was before hand.

It also meant that my parents were at least a tiny bit safer.

The eight of us had another quick meeting to discuss tonight's plans – Sam and his Beta would be accompanying Rose, Emmett, Jasper, Alice and Edward to Port Angeles to isolate Laurent's scent. I was to stay with Esme and Carlisle while they went, which just plain pissed me off. But I was outvoted seven to one and I bit my lip and pouted like a child when I was told that it was safer for me to stay put, just like when I was a useless human!

After the meeting Esme and I began to pack the coolers with food for my parents as Jasper and Carlisle ran off to collect the boat from it's mooring shed. Edward Rose and Emmett began to move our things to the jetty in readiness. All we were waiting for was Charlie and Renee to arrive and we were all set.

I was yet to fill out my weight chart today as I'd slept late, really late, this morning. It was 3 in the morning before we'd gone to bed and I'd been exhausted. Both from the excitement of having gone to the gallery with Edward and then the unfolding drama of our meeting with Laurent. It was closer to five before I fell asleep in Edward's arms and I'd not had time to shower or change my clothes before he was off with Carlisle to the Res this morning. Now I felt icky and decided on a quick shower before heading out of the day.

Esme said she'd send Edward back for me once my parents had arrived and they were all on the boat ready to go. That would make it easier for me, thirst wise, if the boat was packed and my parents were already insitu before I got onboard.

I weighed myself and filled in my chart, no change today, woohoo!

EPOV

Sunday was turning out to be sunny and warm and not exactly perfect for eight vampires out on the water. But the only humans who'd see us up close would be Charlie and Renee, who had arrived at exactly midday, and as requested they came empty handed. I could tell that Renee was embarrassed to not be contributing to our day out but once Esme asked for her help in the boats cabin putting away the meals she'd prepared she relaxed.

Charlie spent a good half hour with Carlisle at the boat dock looking over the cabin cruiser and admiring the rigging and engine. He had thanked me profusely, several times already, for taking him out yesterday in the Veyron and I had told him it was of course my pleasure.

Jasper returned to the dock for the towels and blankets and to escort the girls up onto the boat. I could tell he was proud of his control around Charlie and Renee and I threw him the odd inconspicuous nod of encouragement and he always replied with a silent 'thank you' to which I smiled proudly.

"I'll collect Bella and we'll be ready to go." I told Carlisle who nodded my way before turning back to Charlie and showing him another of the cruisers features.

I ran back to the house and found Bella in our bathroom sighing heavily. "Bella? What is it?" I called panicked.

"Nothing Edward. I'll be out in a minute."

She had been fine an hour ago when I'd returned from the meeting at the Reservation. We'd hunted again soon after arriving home and then she'd helped Esme in the kitchen with the meals for the humans. So what was making her sigh as she was was anyone's guess.

I sat on the edge of the sofa and waited for her, a little less than patiently I would confess.

She came out of the bathroom with a slight grimace on her face and I ran to where she stood, her hand gripping the doorframe. I gripped her waist with my fingers and pulled her to me, "What is it?" I asked again.

"I've got a lump." She whispered and I felt the first rise of fear tug at my stomach. A lump? A tumor? Could vampires bring with them cancers they'd already had when human? Nothing would surprise me, now that Bella was pregnant all sorts of things I previously thought impossible now seemed to be within the realms of reality for us. "Stop it Edward, I don't mean a tumor, jeez. I've got a lump, look, feel this." She took my hand and I put my flattened palm against her belly and then she closed my fingers slightly so that my hand was cupped against a small, hard rounded lump deep inside her tummy. My eyes widened and flew open and I looked up at her in total amazement.

"Oh. My. God. You've got a baby bump!" I shouted. She flinched because I was so loud but then she broke out in a gorgeous smile and I kissed her soundly on her rose red lips. _'My god you're beautiful Bella. I want you, now._' I thought as she sucked my tongue into her mouth.

"Everyone is waiting for us on the boat Edward, we can't. Later." She giggled as she pulled herself away from me. I left my hand on her stomach though, wanting to feel again the slight bump there, proof that we were having a baby.

"I'll hold you to that Miss Swan." I chuckled and let her lead me out of the house and down to the jetty where the boat was already rumbling idly, waiting for us.

I helped Bella up onto the boat, more out of habit than her needing my assistance, but she smiled gratefully as I settled her onto a seat at the dinette at the rear of the boat and went to join Carlisle and Charlie at the controls.

"Hold on everyone." Carlisle called and gunned the engine, throwing the throttle fully forward and launching the boat away from the jetty and down the centre of the river and out towards open water.

**BPOV**

"You look great today Bell's. How are you feeling?" Renee asked me as I took my seat next to Alice, two spots down from her. I was upwind though, which I found was an amazingly easy place to be right now. Her scent wasn't nearly as strong or as enticing like this, it streaking away from me on the wind. Charlie's scent however was stronger than normal as he stood at the controls with Carlisle, the wind blowing his scent towards me as we moved down the river.

"I feel great mom." I told Renee.

"Are you going to let us feel then Bella or do we need to beg?" Alice asked with a wink. Damn the psychic! I just grunted at her and rolled my eyes, hoping she'd let it drop. Of course she didn't need to let it drop because everyone else present took up the cause for her.

"What did she mean Bella?" Rose asked, getting an excited glaze across her face.

"Yeah, come on Smella, what gives?" Emmett boomed from across the way where he sat with Jasper, their legs dangling in the water as we moved along.

"Thanks so much Alice." I stuck my tongue out at her but she shrugged and grinned at me.

I looked to where Edward sat in his chair opposite Carlisle and saw him grinning at me too. '_Go on love, tell them, show them, they'll be so excited for you.'_ He told me as his smile widened further. Oh fine! I didn't want to exclude them necessarily but I wasn't prepared to feel what I'd felt in the shower earlier let alone let anyone else, other than Edward of course, feel it for themselves. I took a deep breath and manned up. "I've got a baby bump." I said quietly, waiting for the explosion of noise I just knew was about to erupt around me.

**EPOV**

God she was lovely as she let them all manhandle the baby bump unashamedly. I managed to keep a lid on my irrational jealousies as one after another my family and hers put their hands to her stomach to feel the slight swell of our baby for the first time. I'd never seen anything like it in over a hundred years. Rose was the most astounding of them all. For all her petty envies, her bitchiness and her tough outer exterior she fawned over Bella more in the half hour boat trip than I'd ever seen her lavish attention on Emmett eighty odd years! She made Alice shift places with her so she was sitting beside Bella. She rubbed Bella's hand, or shoulders and at one point I saw her stroking Bella's hair! Every few minutes she asked if Bella needed anything or did she want to get out of the sun, go below deck, did she need a lie down, anything to make Bella comfortable.

I knew Bella was beginning to hate it, never one to enjoy being the centre of attention, but the way Rose went about it was very, very subtle. I doubted Renee or Charlie, or the two boys for that matter, even saw or heard half of what I'd seen and heard.

As Carlisle pulled the boat in towards the sheltered beach where we'd swum that first time Bella had joined us Bella excused herself and went below to the cabin to change. I looked to Carlisle and he said that maybe I should check on her as she seemed a little uneasy, so I followed her while he let the anchor out and set about getting the dingy ready to be launched with our gear.

**BPOV**

Rose was driving me nuts! Aargh! I was three weeks pregnant so if she kept up this level of attention for the entire pregnancy Edward and I would need to move further than that fucking cottage, that's for sure!

I couldn't even bring myself to think about how she'd be once this baby was actually born. God. I shivered as I flopped down onto the bed and closed my eyes, putting my arm over my face as if to hide from the mental images I was now seeing.

I smelled then heard Edward both verbally and mentally as he came looking for me. "Are you okay love?" He asked, sitting beside me on the bed and running his hand over my belly again.

"Yeah. A bit overwhelmed, you know?" I whispered, hoping the others were too busy to be taking any notice of what was being said down here. I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, they were just excited and I was pleased for that. But in smaller doses maybe.

"I know. The novelty will wear off, I promise. And if not we'll go away for a bit. Just us. We've got a week of school, then most of the following week in Italy then only two weeks till the wedding. After that we'll be away on our honeymoon so we'll have lots of time alone together, they'll settle down love." I could hear the hope in his voice and I felt bad.

"I'll try better to enjoy it. I really will. They mean well, I don't want to seem ungrateful. Go on, go back out there. I'm going to get changed, are you swimming with me today?" I asked, grinning at him evilly.

"Hmmm. If I told you the water was warm would you believe me?" He chuckled as he pulled the door shut behind him.

**EPOV**

I wanted to stay in the cabin with her, lock the door and spend the day in there burying myself between her legs! God. Get a grip Edward!

I went back to the top deck and helped Emmett and Jasper transfer the coolers and blankets, umbrellas and towels to the dingy for the second trip to the little beach. Renee and Charlie had already been taken over and could be heard laughing and splashing around in the shallows while they waited for the camp gear. Esme was busy with Alice smoothing out tablecloths over folding tables and setting up chairs for everyone in the sand. Carlisle was making checks of the boat and said he'd go over with the next trip.

We'd already discussed how Bella would handle the day with her parents and we'd agreed that Charlie and Renee would do whatever they pleased on the little beach, or in the water and that I'd stay close by Bella at all times in case she had a momentary lapse of control. We wouldn't exactly stay away from them but we'd not make things any more difficult than they needed to be. We'd swim a distance from them but close enough that both Charlie and Renee felt included. We'd sit on the beach too, but again at a distance safe enough for Bella to simply run if their scents became too much.

If Bella needed to hunt I'd run with her along the outcrop of land the beach ran along and then we'd return to the group. I'd talked to her parents about the plan and they agreed to just take things as they came. They'd not mention anything and they'd treat anything Bella needed to do as completely normal. I knew they would be fine with the plan, they had always been nothing but supportive of their girl.

As Emmett and Jaz took the dingy towards the little beach I felt Bella come up behind me and wrap her arms around my waist.

"Let me guess, the water's warm?" She giggled as she hugged me.

"Yeah. Shall we swim a little?" I asked and felt her nod against my back. God she felt good. Warm and soft and mine. I'd have to spend hours in the water today hiding my erection, again, just like the first time we were here I thought.

"Hmmm. I don't recall seeing you in that state the first time we came here Edward." She was giggling again now but this time it was at my expense.

Was it too late to take back my declaration of being 100% happy with being read by her? "No way. I got you to one hundred percent, you cannot retract Edward." She crowed and slipped away from me and dove into the water at the back of the boat. I had only a split second to catch a glimpse of the miniscule suit she wore, but it was enough for me to tear my own shirt off and dive in after her in half a second.

She was stroking way in the opposite direction from the beach and I followed. She was quick but I was quicker and more used to not having to breath under water so I quickly caught her.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31 Jeebus, woman

**BPOV**

"I'm coming with you." I scowled at him.

"No, you aren't." He huffed as he pulled his button down over his head and tucked it into his jeans.

"I bloody am too, you can't stop me Edward." I yelled as I threw my wallet, keys and phone into my book bag.

He squared his feet and hips and shot me a look of pure defiance, "You're right, I can't stop you, not really, but that doesn't change anything, you aren't coming to school with me today Isabella."

"Aargh, why do you say my name like I'm a naughty child Edward, I can kick your ass and you know it!" I screeched across the room at his annoyingly calm demeanor.

"Yes, I guess you could, but you won't. And that changes nothing, you will stay here today." He whispered over his shoulder as he went into the bathroom to try to tame his sex hair.

I couldn't believe I was about to use the next line, but I did anyway. "You aren't the boss of me Edward." I shot back at him. I wasn't prepared for the bark of laughter that followed and I cringed as seven vampires voiced themselves, rather loudly, in my honour.

"Good one sissy." Emmett called from his room on the floor below.

"Butt out Emmett." Edward hissed as he came back into the room and took my book bag from my hand putting it back onto the sofa. He stroked my cheek with the back of his knuckles and I melted at the tenderness of his touch. "Bella," he sighed, "Stay here with Alice today, let her look after you. Have a nice visit with Seth, hunt a little. Please?" He whispered against my temple with a soft kiss.

"But…I don't want to be apart from you, not now, not with those three out there somewhere. Let me come too, I'll be good, you won't have to worry, I promise I'm okay. I spent all day yesterday with Charlie and Renee and I never once even snapped at them." I pled. I knew I was behaving like a spoiled child chucking a tanty but I didn't much care. I ached knowing he was going without me or at the very least that he refused to stay with me.

"Isabella, darling, I know you're frightened right now and I understand, truly I do. But you'll be better off here with Alice today. Appearances are everything in this life, I know you know that. I need to go to school and be a good boy, you need to stay here and be a good girl. That's all there is to it. I know you have exceptional control, we all do, but please, just give it a few more days, at least, and we'll see if you can handle coming on Friday as we planned. Please, for me?" He crooned and I gave way as his lips covered mine in a soft kiss.

I felt weak for giving in simply because he was kissing me so softly. I was fucking helpless against him as he pulled me in closer and swept his tongue across my bottom lip with a purr.

"One minute Eddie." Jasper called from the foot of the stairs and I felt Edward stiffen in my arms.

He pulled out of the kiss and gave me another softer kiss at my temple before he collected his book bag and wallet and ran down the stairs and out the front door. All the while shouting at Jasper to not call him Eddie.

I let Alice and Esme talk me down from my ledge and we were soon running quickly through our respective chores so we could spend some time online baby shopping.

**EPOV**

"Why don't we just make a hunting party and go to Port Angeles and root them out?" Emmett asked as he drove the four of us to school in his Jeep. "I mean, the faster we knock them off the safer we'll all be and Bella can just get on with cooking the little one in peace."

"I'm with you on this one, this one time, Em." Rose said. I was surprised at that, normally Rose was all about careful thought and planning.

"Really babe?" Emmett positively glowed with pride as she nodded.

"We don't even know if they've stuck around guys. For all we know Laurent asked around and knows that there are eight of us and decided against telling the other two anything about us." I said, but even as I did I knew it was a falsehood. Laurent was looking forward to, and would relish, the fight between us.

Jasper shot me a look designed to let me know he knew I was full of shit and I cringed. "It was a valiant effort dude." He sighed.

"Yeah, well, I tried." I replied. It was obvious he could feel the fear rolling off me now as he moved a little further away and leant up against the rear door of the Jeep. "Sorry Jaz." I mumbled as we came to a stop in the parking lot.

"Everyone got their phones switched on?" Emmett asked as we exited the vehicle.

"Yes dad." The three of us droned as we wandered into the school. None of us wanted to be here today, if ever again. Our minds were elsewhere, at home, in the woods with those three insidious bastards, but mostly the four vampire minds going to school that day were with Bella.

**BPOV**

"What if it's a girl Alice?" I asked as she pushed 'confirm' on her purchases.

"Then we'll buy it all in pink as well." And with that she hit the back button and added the entire newborn range of clothing in pink as well as the blue she'd just purchased. "Happy?" She winked at me and I cringed.

"This is going to be the most spoiled baby in the history of babies, isn't it?" I asked and Esme giggled.

"Probably. I can't wait." Esme said as she crossed our room and began to look at the things Edward had dug out of his box of treasures and lined up on the bookshelf fronts. "Edward has a very eclectic collection here Bella. What does this stuff mean?" She asked, pointing to a lemonade bottle cap in particular.

"Ah, well. I bought a bottle of lemonade at lunch, the first time he asked me to sit with him. He kept spinning it on its edge through the whole lunch break, I guess he kept it. Huh." I said as I took in the other items on the shelf.

The speeding ticket from Charlie, stubs from the school dance we'd attended, a scrunched up piece of paper with a timetable printed on it. I took it down and read it only to realize that it was my timetable from last term. How he got that I'd never know.

The shelf lower down held a piece of driftwood, a pair of binoculars in their case, a pipe and a tobacco tin, a film canister and a miniature jade chess set on a little shiny checkerboard platform. The books on this shelf were held up by a pair of brass horses, oriental ones, like the ones you see in pictures of the buried tomb of soldiers.

The items on the bottom shelves were much more interesting to me so I had no idea why he chose to display inane items like these on the uppermost shelves.

"Ooh look Esme, this site has a whole section where you can monogram babies clothes. I'll bookmark it." Alice squealed in delight and Esme joined in.

I groaned audibly and both women looked at me with strange looks on their faces. "What?"

"The baby will be a Cullen won't it? You're going to be a Cullen aren't you? Or are you going to be a Masen?" Esme asked, looking worried.

"God, yes, of course I'm going to be a Cullen. Sheesh. And yes, the baby will be a Cullen too. Edward is a Cullen as well as being a Masen, just like you are a Brandon a Hale and a Cullen Alice." They both visibly relaxed after that.

"Delivery van coming up the street in three minutes Bella. Shall we?" Esme asked and I nodded.

**EPOV**

Oh for the love of all that's holy!

Newton was sat behind me in my second period of the day and he was not happy, not by a long shot. It seemed that today's tirade – directed entirely at me, as usual – stemmed from the fact that Seth had bragged about receiving a wedding invitation in the post this morning.

I knew Mike would be pissed that Ben Cheney had gotten one, as well as Angela Webber but that nobody else from our class had received one. It grated that a 'punk assed native kid' – his words not mine – scored one and nobody else 'decent' – again his words not mine, had been deemed worthy to attend.

It took all my patience not to spin around in my seat and mention the fact that Newton was a giant cocknut and that his friends and my classmates had at one time attempted to assault my fiancé in this very classroom!

'_Look at the smug git. Newton's are a force in this town, how fucking rude that not even my parents got an invite! I mean, they own half the fucking town, who do these Cullen's think they are? Chief Swan is an ass for letting his girl marry that twat. Aw fuck it, we'll just crash the wedding anyway.'_ Newton rambled on like this for the entire lesson.

As the bell went signaling the morning break I reached my limit as he threw his pen at the back of my head as I was untangling myself from my seat. I spun in my spot and leaned over the desk behind me until I was eye to eye with the maggot.

I settled a menacing – yet believably human – expression on my face that told Newton, in no uncertain terms, that I was pissed. I hissed slightly as I calmly said, "I'll only say this once Mike, so listen up. The next time you throw something at me make it good, it will be the last action your pathetic body makes on this earth. We clear, _buddy_?" I spat the last word into his terrified face and watched as he nodded violently. "Good." I hissed and left the room enjoying the sounds of his fear as he tried desperately to calm his breathing before going out for his morning tea.

I found my group sitting at our regular table in the cafeteria. I stalked towards them with my hands deep in my pockets in a vain attempt to calm myself before I sat, thankfully Angela and Ben had chosen to sit with Jessica et al today. Jasper winced as I sat between him and Seth.

"What happened? Where's Bella? Alice?" He begged, already forcing his chair back and making ready to run home.

"Nah, calm down. It's nothing like that." I ran a hand through my hair and sighed heavily. "Douche Newton got to me, that's all." I felt stupid for letting him get to me so easily but I was wound so tight today I knew it wouldn't take much more for me to do something even more stupid that could very well expose us all.

"Yeah, he was a dick in the parking lot this morning too from what I heard." Rose offered as she took a seat beside Emmett. "A girl in my art class told me he was spouting off about the invitations having been delivered this morning. He told her he made a point of telling you not to bother sending him one as he wouldn't attend anyway." She scoffed.

"Fuck, what's his deal?" Emmett growled.

"Jealousy, the usual." I shrugged. "I'm sick of this shit. I'm not coming back next year. I'll get Carlisle to tell the school I've gone to advanced placement to get ready for college or some shit." I knew I was whining but I didn't give a shit anymore. None of my siblings wanted to be here either anyway.

"Yeah, I reckon I might try the same dude." Jasper said offering me his fist to bump. "At least you two can go off legitimately. What college are you allegedly attending next year?" He asked Rose and Emmett who simply shrugged.

Silence filled the table as four very unhappy vampires went about their human ruse. When my cell phone beeped the other three nearly jumped out of their skin in their attempt to find out what was going on at the house.

~Call me, when you can, please. Miss you, love you, B + B xx~

"She needs me to call. If it's anything you need to know I'll find you." I called as I made my way out of the cafeteria and across the lawn towards the tree line at the back of the admin block.

**BPOV**

I slid the little gold charm of a hand onto my bracelet and sighed again at the note that had accompanied it.

"Read it out to us Bella, come on, don't let a sister hang." Alice chirped eagerly beside me on the sofa.

"My darling Isabella, with 25 days left to go before you make me complete I feel the need to expunge all omens from around us. This is a Hamsa Hand and it's significance, in it's original, means Richesse. This charm will ward off the 'evil eye' and keep you safe as you travel through this world with me at your side, forever. I love you and cannot wait to marry you. All of my love, forever, Edward xx"

"Oh god, how does he know this stuff?" Alice asked as she flipped my bracelet around and around on my wrist looking at the charms I already had.

"He says it's because he's had so many years with nothing to do but read." I giggled.

"I guess. Oh…" She trailed off and I looked at her intently as her vision came to her slowly. As she straightened against the back of the sofa a small smile played on her lips.

"What did you see Alice?" I asked, holding my breath.

"Edward, he's having a tough time not killing Mike Newton today." She giggled. "He's decided to come home. The others will follow if he does." She laughed.

Esme tutted loudly. "Carlisle won't like that."

"I'll call him, calm him down. Can you see if that will work Alice?" I asked, already going to my message centre and beginning a new text.

"Um…yeah, that will work. But, like, can you go up to your room and have the conversation please?" She screwed up her face in a mock grimace and I wondered what could be so bad about a phone conversation? "You'll see." Was all she'd say on the matter.

"Alrighty then you nutter. I've asked him to call me, so I guess I'll go up to our room and wait for him to call. God you're weird Alice." I shot over my shoulder as she poked her tongue out at me.

**EPOV**

She answered on the first ring, obviously waiting for my call. "Bella? What's wrong?" I barked into the phone.

"Nothing, god, Edward, calm down." She giggled and I relaxed a little.

"What is it love?" I asked again.

"Alice saw you decide to come home, she said you were having trouble ignoring Mike. What's going on there?" I asked as I stretched out onto our bed, pulling the coverlet up over my legs and feet.

"Aah. Well…he's been pretty obnoxious today, that's all. I wouldn't really hurt him, despite what Alice saw." I hope she believed me!

"Hmm. Well, be that as it may, you can't decide to just come home because then the others will follow and Esme says Carlisle will be pissed." She giggled into the phone.

"God, baby…you sound so…" I left it there, not really knowing what I wanted her to hear. I ached all over at the loss of her closeness. The weekends were divine because I could just be near her all the time, which only made Monday's more evil. I just wanted to touch her, taste her, smell her, and if I was honest I wanted to have her.

"Oh Edward, I miss you so much. I wish I could thank you, personally, right now, for today's charm." She purred into the phone and I felt my cock stiffen. Damn!

"I'm glad you like it." Was all I could manage. Even that came out as a croak.

"Where are you?" She asked and I knew, just knew where this was heading.

"Trees, back of the admin block." I ground out through gritted teeth, my cock coming fully alive and now straining painfully against the zipper of my jeans. "Where are you?" I asked.

"Bed." Was all she said. Christ! How was I expected to stay here when she was in our bed?

"Fuck…Bella…I can't…you can't just…fuck." I wanted to tell her to just hang up, to let me go back in to my next class but I couldn't. I needed her, I needed the release, I needed to hear her. "Bella…tell me…" I groaned into the phone.

"I want you Edward…I need you…run, baby…run into the woods…" she told me but I was already five paces ahead of her thought processes and was running deep into the forest, my cock twitching with each step. "In a tree Edward, get up a tree, high up…imagine us in the tree here…" She whispered and I nearly came undone at the thought of it.

"Yes…god yes Bella…in that tree…I'll have you in that tree one day…" I moaned as I swung myself up into the top branches of the first tree I came to that was higher than twenty feet. "Tell me Bella…touch yourself…tell me…" I picked a branch and wedged myself between it and the trunk of the tree. I cradled the phone between my ear and my chin by tilting my head to the side and using my now free hands I released myself from the confines of my jeans and ran my hand up my engorged length, moaning loudly at the feel.

"God you sound so good Edward…these are your fingers on me baby…that's my hand on you…" She whispered again.

"My fingers Bella…they're my fingers…imagine my tongue in your mouth…my teeth in your skin…fuck, Bella…baby…tell me to come home, tell me to come home and take you…" I pled. I worked myself harder, faster, tighter into my fist as I closed my eyes and recalled the image of her on our bed the night before as I took her. I used the leakage at my head to lubricate my shaft and tightened my fingers as she moaned and whimpered through the phone at me.

"Tell me to come to you Edward…tell me to get in the car and come to you…I need you…I'm so close…I don't want this without you…I need you to be inside me now…so close…" She was moaning heavily now and I knew she was ready for her release, I knew exactly what would tip her over the edge, and it would likely take me with her.

"Four hours Bella…in four hours you be ready, you be naked, you be in our bed…Bella, I'm gonna fuck you until you scream my name so loud the windows shake…four hours Bella…will you be ready for me…wet for me…?" I spat into the phone as my balls began to clench and I could feel the familiar tug of my orgasm in the pit of my stomach. I just needed the word from Bella and I'd be there.

"So wet Edward…four hours…yes…unngh…cum for me, let me cum for you…" She was panting so quickly, she wanted permission.

"Now Bella…cum for me now as I cum for you…NOW!" I roared as I spilled onto my hand and across my stomach. My legs buckled as she cried her own release to me through the phone. I pumped over and over again as she whimpered and purred through her climax. She chanted yes and my name over and over, which only increased my pleasure, prolonging my release. "Bella, baby…so good…I love you so much…so good." Was my replying chant as I came back to earth slowly.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Emmett asked as I put my lunch tray on the table and took a seat opposite him.

"Busy you retard." I shot back, by way of an answer.

"Yeah, well. Whatever. What's happening at the house?" He asked.

"Nothing dude, god, get a grip. She was just phoning to say thank you for today's charm, nothing's wrong." I griped, feeling guilty for worrying them without explanation earlier. I guess it was pretty rare that Bella asked me to phone her while I was at school. "Sorry Em, no news. If there was you know I'd come find you straight away."

"Yeah, I know. Just a bit wound up, you know?" He shrugged and I nodded, I did know.

"You okay with Seth being there today?" Rose asked me with a cheeky grin.

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?"

"No reason." She laughed and I scowled at her.

**BPOV**

"Don't suppose you feel like a run Seth?" I nodded towards the back door and he grinned.

"Sure, if you think you can keep up." He chuckled.

"I tell you what, I'll give you a five second head start. First one to the clearing, due west, six miles, wins." Esme was giggling quietly at my challenge and I knew Seth would never resist the chance to show me what he had.

"Deal." He shot off the sofa and was out the backdoor before I even had time to discuss what I'd be winning from him.

I gave him a full five seconds and then I was gone too, running full tilt towards the clearing. I could see him ahead, maybe half a mile away, and I knew I had him beat. I stepped up my pace and tugged his hair as I overtook him. He groaned loudly as I passed him but was smiling by the time he came to sit beside me on Edward's rock a few moments later.

"Jebus you can run woman!" he laughed as he plonked himself down.

"Newborn, won't last forever. You'll be able to kick my ass soon enough." I cuffed him affectionately on the shoulder and he grinned.

"Fair enough, but if I phased I'd have you beat I reckon." He laughed again and I conceded that was more than likely very true.

"How is all that going Seth? Your transformation I mean?" I asked.

"I'm all good now. The fever is gone and I can phase whenever I want now. Sam is helping me learn to phase on the fly, you know, run a few steps, phase and keep running. My sister can do it, so I won't be far off." I could tell he was proud of himself, especially seeing as he was years younger than the others.

"Well, you be sure to come show me when you can phase on the fly, I'd love to see that!"

"I keep forgetting you haven't seen me all wolfy yet, I have to say it's a pretty impressive sight." He laughed loudly and I swatted at his arm.

"Yeah, yeah, big bad wolf, heard it all before." I laughed along.

I felt his demeanor change as he formed his next statement. "So, these three that are coming for you?"

"Yeah, I guess I'm just a trouble magnet." I shrugged, not knowing exactly what to say about it all.

He clasped my hand in his and sighed, "Don't worry about it Bell's, we've got your back. Ed won't let anything happen to you, neither will we." He said it very softly and I leaned in to his side for a moment.

"I know. I'm not frightened." I said it but didn't really feel it.

**EPOV**

"What do you mean she's gone off into the woods with Seth? Why the fuck are you at the house then Alice? The whole point of one or both of us being there is so that she's never alone!" I thundered into the phone, hoping Alice could hear the rage in my voice.

I had decided to call her, again, hoping for a quiet word – in truth to check that she was still as horny as I was. I'd tried Bella's mobile first but had gotten no answer, I'd panicked and phoned the house phone only to get Alice, not Bella.

I didn't even wait for an explanation I just lost it, really lost it.

Fear over rode my need to hear Alice' excuses.

I was running towards Emmett's Chemistry class as I yelled at Alice some more before slamming my phone shut in rage. When I was stood outside his classroom I burst into the room and told his teacher that there was a family crisis and he was needed at home, now.

He didn't hesitate, he was out of his seat and running to the parking lot, Jeep keys in hand, before I'd finished my sentence, leaving the teacher mouthing furiously about make up homework and good luck for whatever the problem was.

Jasper was in the classroom opposite Emmett's and had heard our exchange so he was running for the Jeep at the same time that I was running towards Rose's Economics lesson.

Same scenario, I burst into the classroom and Rose runs for the parking lot with the teachers' good wishes echoing down the hallway as we ran.

My phone had been ringing constantly since I'd hung up on Alice but I wasn't interested in her excuses. I had so many evil scenarios running through my head by the time I was sat in the back of the Jeep that Jasper fairly vomited at my rolling waves of fear.

"What happened?" Rose asked as Emmett turned the Jeep onto the highway at top speed.

"Alice let Bella go off running with only Seth with her. That was half an hour ago." I spat and my brothers and sister all cringed. "She has her phone but didn't answer it. Anything could've happened. Fuck!" I yelled and Rose flinched.

"Fuck, why would they just let her go off like that? Basically alone? Seth's only just finished his transformation, there's no way he'd be able to protect her from three fully grown vampires." Emmett thundered as he heaved the massive vehicle around the last bend and turned off onto our street.

Jasper sat cringing beside me soaking up the frightened atmosphere in the vehicle. _'Please Edward, don't hurt Alice.'_ Jasper was pleading with me in his head, I shook my head at him and leapt from the car as it skidded to a stop at the foot of the front steps.

I gripped Alice by her shoulders and shook her. "Where are they?" I roared at Alice as she stood in the foyer. Esme gasped as I manhandled my sister but said nothing.

"In the woods…Edward you're over reacting…she's not alone, she'd let me know if there was a problem…I'd see if she needed us…" I cut her off by holding my palm up to her shocked face.

"Seth's a fucking wolf Alice, you wouldn't see shit…" I shouted at her.

When the realization that I was speaking the truth hit her her face crumpled.

"I'm so sorry Edward, I didn't think." She yelled after me as I ran out the backdoor following both Bella and Seth's scent into the trees by the river.

**BPOV**

"It sort of feels like it used to when you get a tummy ache, that's the only way I can describe it Seth. A soft, fluttery sort of feeling." I told him honestly.

"I bet it's weird though, right? Knowing you've got another person inside you?" He asked with a chuckle.

"Yeah, it is a bit weird still." I agreed. I had my head in his lap as he leaned against Edward's favorite rock. The sun was out and it was glorious just laying there, warming myself in the sunshine. I was quite tired really. I thought I could even have slept a little but thought that might be a bit weird, what with me resting on Seth's legs as I was. He didn't seem to mind though, so we just stayed like that, talking here and there. It was very comfortable being with Seth. We'd been gone about an hour or so I guessed and it would be time to go back soon, I didn't want anyone to worry.

"Jacob's sister Rachael is pregnant now, but she lives in Hawaii with her husband so I don't think we'll see too much of that baby at the Res. We're all hoping you guys will stay around for a bit, after the baby is born." He said quietly as he picked another wildflower and let it float down onto my tummy with the others.

"I don't think we'll be going too far. I mean, Charlie is here, and Renee for now. And you guys too of course." I agreed.

"Cool." He replied abstractly. "We better head back, Sam will be by to pick me up soon and I want to taste some of that cake Esme was making." He chuckled.

"Sure, sure. Always with the food." I laughed. I was about to get up when I heard Edward's mental voice screaming for me along the path, coming towards us at a good clip. "We're here Edward, in the clearing." I said, using my normal speaking voice, knowing he'd hear me.

He burst into the clearing a few seconds later, as I was removing myself from Seth's lap, and he was at once terrified for me and angry at Seth.

He ran towards me and lifted me out of Seth's lap, off the ground and pulled me to his chest without a verbal word. He pushed me away slightly and looked me over from head to toe before turning to do the same to Seth.

"Bella, are you well?" He asked in a choked voice. His eyebrows were so closely knitted together his eyes nearly met in the middle above his nose. His mental thoughts were so panicked I felt ill as I heard them for myself.

"I'm fine Edward. What's the matter?" I asked carefully.

"Seth?"

"I'm all good Edward, what's wrong?" Seth asked. He was trembling visibly and I wondered if he was making ready to phase.

Edward ran a hand through his hair and began to calm himself. He took a few small paces, in a half circle, in front of us both and seemed to be gathering his thoughts in his head before he spoke again. "I called your cell and got no answer. So I rang the house and Alice…god Bella…Alice told me you two were out here in the woods somewhere…alone…I panicked…you can't fucking do that Bella!" He yelled right in my face.

I was so overcome – with both his ferocity as he yelled and also the pain and accusations in his thoughts – that I stepped backwards and fell against the rock, coming to land at the base of it on my ass. Seth gasped and reached down to help me back to my feet but was shoved aside, bodily, by Edward.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32 Torn, Again

**EPOV**

I watched over Bella's shoulder as Seth ran back towards the house. I pulled her to her feet using her jersey and looked her over once again to make sure she was okay.

She pushed against me and took a step away. I watched her with wide eyes. For half a second I thought she looked afraid of me.

I held my arms out and was about to pull her to me again when she gave a small whimper and took yet another step away. She now stood away from the rock. She was still facing me but she looked spooked, about ready to make a run for the house and I didn't know why.

"Bella, love. It's okay, you're safe." I told her, hoping she'd let me comfort her. Instead she stepped out from her position and ran. "Bella!" I called after her but she had the benefit of her newborn speed and I'd been stunned that she'd run from me so she also had two full seconds head start.

I took off but knew I'd not catch her before she hit the back steps of the house.

I watched as she took the steps in one leap, she was through the backdoor before I hit the fringe of the yard. I could hear everyone asking if she was okay and I also heard her tell the others she wanted to be alone. As I came to the back door I heard our bedroom door slam shut and then the unmistakable sounds of sobbing. Fuck. What had bought this on? I'd obviously upset her, how I didn't know. She had to know that she'd been the one in the wrong? She'd gone off alone – well she had Seth, but he was hardly a good enough protector, I thought - I'd just been relieved that she was okay, I'd probably startled her when I came into the clearing, I could concede that. But as to what made her want to cry I was at a loss.

"Edward!" Esme called to me as I shut the glass sliding door behind me. "What did you do?" She was asking as she came toward me from the living room.

"I didn't do anything." I said defensively. "At least I don't think I did." I said less sure now that I thought about it. "I yelled at her a bit I guess… she stumbled a bit but she can't be hurt…then she ran." I said, thinking again over the turn of events.

I was so caught up in my own thoughts I didn't hear the thoughts of the others in the house until they were all standing in my face in the kitchen.

Emmett had his arms crossed over his chest and he looked livid. "You yelled at a pregnant woman?" He accused.

"Seth says you yelled at her so loud she fell Edward." Rose was stood beside Em with the same arms crossed 'I'm pissed at you' kind of look on her face.

"She didn't fall Rose, she stumbled backwards against the rock and slid down it a bit." I told her.

"And Seth? What happened to Seth?" Esme asked with a scowl on her face.

"I don't know, he just took off, I assumed he'd come here. Is he not here?" I asked worriedly.

"Of course he came back here. He's with Jasper; I had to get him to calm the boy down." Esme told me.

"He said you came at him and Bella in the clearing and Bella was so scared of you she fell then you shoved him out the way and snarled at him. He got scared and came home." Rose said softly. It had not escaped my notice that she'd said 'home', not to the house, but that he'd come home. Strange turn of phrase.

"I didn't snarl at him…did I?" I asked, appalled at my behavior if I did. "Shit, I think I did. Didn't I?" I asked them all even though none of them were there and they wouldn't know.

All at once their physical postures changed, Emmett dropped his arms from his chest and Rose relaxed her crouch. Esme came to me and put a soft hand on my shoulder. "He's with Jasper, in Carlisle's study." She told me and I nodded, knowing what I had to do.

Seth was sat on the sofa against the wall and Jaz was in Carlisle's high backed office chair. "Thanks Jaz." I told him as I came in and he put a hand on my shoulder as he left the room.

I took the visitors chair, to be closer to Seth while I talked to him. He hand his head in his hands and he obviously didn't want to see me or speak to me. I picked through his head and saw that I'd frightened him, badly, just now. I hadn't physically hurt him when I'd shoved him aside and although I didn't recall either shoving him or snarling at him, he did. I felt so ashamed of myself.

"Seth, please look at me son." I asked.

He raised his head and wiped his face with the back of his hand. He'd not been crying but he'd been close to it when Bella had come home so upset. He was very, very angry with me for yelling at her like that.

"Seth I'm so sorry for the way I behaved just now. I have no excuse." I told him and he nodded in agreement.

He looked me dead in the eye before he spoke. "We weren't doing anything wrong, I swear it Edward. She was just lying across my legs, I didn't touch her. Look in my head, you know I'm not lying." His voice quivered and I cringed. He thought I had been so angry because he and Bella were in the forest with no chaperone. Aah. Now his reaction made more sense.

"I know that Seth, I never thought that. I know you're not lying son." I told him, making sure to keep my voice steady and even so he'd believe my words. "I was angry with Bella, not you. We had a deal you see. With the three vampires roaming around we'd agreed that she'd stay with either me or Alice at all times and she broke that promise by going into the woods with you on your own. That's all. I'm so sorry I shoved you and I'm even more sorry that I snarled at you Seth. I'd never want to harm you, ever."

He sat staring at me, wide eyed. "But you screamed at her. She fell, you shoved me out of the way. You did all that because we'd gone for a run on our own?" He looked incredulous and I knew he didn't fully understand the depth of the problem with our trio of 'friends'. I'd talk to Sam about that and make sure Seth was better informed.

"Yes, I did all those things, and I'm sorry for it now. I panicked, it's no excuse and I'll make it up to her and you, if you'll let me?" I asked.

"And you don't think I was being, you know?" He tilted his head to the side and I knew he was trying to say inappropriate or sexual but he was so young the words wouldn't form.

I smiled, "No Seth, I know you don't think about Bella that way. Although, I do know you think she's very beautiful." I chuckled and he had the good grace to look back at his feet as he laughed in reply.

"Yeah, she sure is that." He replied quietly.

"Sam is here to take you home Seth. Please say you accept my apology?" I asked as I rose, holding my hand out for him to shake it.

He took my hand eagerly and said of course he accepted. "Can you tell Bella I'll come see her again tomorrow please? If that's okay?" He asked and I said of course he was welcome tomorrow.

We walked down to the foyer together and I told Sam I'd see him later tonight, that I needed a word.

**BPOV**

I tucked the afghan around my feet and settled into the sofa further. I could hear every word spoken in the house and for once I was grateful for it.

I was glad Edward had made his peace with Seth and knew I'd get the chance to see him for myself tomorrow and make sure he was as okay with the days happenings as he'd said he was with Edward just now.

I listened as Edward made his plans to go to the Rez and speak with Sam later tonight and knew it was to better protect Seth.

I heard Edward go to the second floor and ask Alice to please go for a run with him. I knew he wanted to take her out of earshot for whatever it was he needed to say to her to make things right again.

I heard Jasper tell Edward that if he upset Alice again he'd be sorry. I heard Edward say that was reasonable, I heard him apologize to his brother. Even the sound of their fist bump wasn't lost to my enhanced hearing.

He knocked on Em and Rose' door on his way past and they shared a moment of apology too. This one, however, was accepted quickly and easily.

I listened as Edward folded Esme into his arms and heard him kiss her hair, telling her that he'd make it up to both Seth and I and that he was sorry for worrying her today.

I leaned over the sofa as I heard the glass sliding door in the kitchen open then close. I watched as brother and sister ran across the lawn together, hand in hand, and disappear into the dense forest by the jetty.

I heard my cell phone beeping and knew it would be my mother asking me to join her online for our nightly chat. Esme was at the door in an instant. I smiled when I saw it was her. "Hi mom."

She graced me with a lovely smile and came and sat on Edward's side of the desk. I opened my laptop and began to set it to starting up.

"I wondered, if you were going to speak with your mother, whether I might have a turn? Sort of a lesson?" She asked shyly.

I beamed. I'd be so happy to teach Esme something. It never occurred to me that the Cullen's had never used a chat applet before. Could it be that they had nobody to use one with? Were all their relatives gone now? I didn't want to ask because I simply wasn't ready to face the fact that one day all of mine would be too.

**EPOV**

"I'm so sorry Alice, I was totally out of line and I am so sorry I manhandled you the way I did." I hung my head so she'd know I was sincere. I really was appalled at my own behavior. I'd deserve it if she didn't forgive me.

"I was wrong today too. You were right, I can't see Seth. If something had happened I'd never forgive myself. I wont let that happen again. I swear." I knew there was more she wanted to say, I could hear it forming in her mind. I just waited patiently while she got herself ready. She took a few steps away from me and then retraced them before coming to sit beside me on the rock. Then she got up again and made the same circuit. Three steps away from me, three steps back, sat down. Huffed a little. Punched me once on the arm, I groaned as I was expected to do. She huffed again. "Okay, I forgive you." She announced.

"That's it? I'm forgiven? No 'you need to buy me a yellow Porsche because I'm the best sister you've ever had'?" I asked. That was usually the type of penance I had to pay for upsetting Alice. She giggled but said nothing. "Oh come on. Say something, please."

"Alright, I'll say something. You were shitty to me today, not to mention what you did to Bella and Seth. You're an asshole, again. There, happy now?" She actually poked her tongue out at me!

"Well, there's no denying that." I agreed unhappily. I slunk further down on my rock and hung my head. I had no idea how to make things right with Bella. My brothers and sisters, even Seth and Esme, had accepted my apologies happily and easily. I had no doubt that would not be the case with Bella. "I don't suppose you can give me any clues how to fix things with Bella?"

"You'll sort it out. It's an emotional time. Taking the path of least resistance looks like it might work." She said cryptically.

"What the fuck does that mean?" I chuckled.

"Grovel Edward. Go home, tell her you're sorry and grovel. Thousands of males have to do it everyday, you're no different. Well, actually, you are different. If you fuck it up your fiancé will kick your ass." She giggled.

"Oh, right." I swept a hand through my already disheveled hair and wondered how the fuck was one supposed to grovel? I'd never had to do it, ever. With humans if there was something I wanted I dazzled them into giving it to me. With other vampires aggression or violence got you what you wanted. With my family I'd hardly ever asked for anything, but they all had their price. Groveling was new to me. "I don't suppose you can see anything that might help?"

"I may have seen a few things but why should I help you?" She pouted, grinning inanely.

"Because you want Bella to be happy again, just like I do." I told her, smirking because I knew exactly how to push the right buttons with Alice.

Alice sighed and turned to face me more squarely on my rock. She put a hand on my shoulder and smiled at me indulgently. "I'm going to show you this against my better judgment. If you tell Bella I told you I'll not only deny it but I'll make your life miserable for a decade. Got it?" She asked and I nodded. She closed her eyes and let the vision come to her.

I followed her thoughts as she showed me Bella in a flouncy kind of top, mini skirt and heels grinding her hips into mine in time to some loud, pulsating music. The way she was curved around me made me instantly aroused and I had to work very, very hard to hide that fact from Alice as she reopened her eyes when the vision passed.

I swallowed hard against the lump in my throat. What the fuck was that?

"Um, okay." I said with a cracked voice.

Alice rolled her eyes and threw me an exasperated look. "God Edward, you're so dumb. Bella's been stuck here for over a month. No social outlet, no visitors other than her mother or Seth. She went well at the party and with her mother and Esme shopping. She's just dying to experience the last of her youth Edward. Pretty soon you'll have a family to take care of and the time for being youthful will be gone, at least for her, I'm not sure you were ever youthful." She giggled.

"Nice." I growled. "What are you saying Alice? To make it up to her I have to take her clubbing? How is that going to fix this shit storm?" I was lost and not ashamed to admit it.

"No, I'm not saying this will fix your shit storm, nice analogy by the way, very modern of you." She poked her tongue at me and I swatted at her but she leapt away. "You'll have to suck up big time to fix what you did today. That I can't and won't help you with. I don't have a need to learn the art of groveling; perhaps you need to speak to other males about that. I think the underlying problem between you could be that Bella needs out of here. For a start anyway. If the only other people she's interacting with are Seth and her parents, and you're having issues with a third of that equation, that leaves her with her parents. Hardly the normal seventeen-year-old girls idea of a fantastic social life is it? She needs to feel normal again. She was pretty independent before. Now the only places she drives is to her mothers and back. I just think she might need to start doing a few more normal human things, more her age, for a while, while she can. While you both can. Take her out, date her Edward. You two locked yourselves away from the world while you were courting, maybe now its time to actually take her out. See some things." She shrugged.

I could see that in her mind it was all very simple. Bella was bored and tired of being alone in the big house during the day. And it was true that my issues with Seth were limiting her already very small social circle. "So I take her out." I stated matter of factly. "Right. I can do that. It might be fun." Yeah, we could have some fun.

Alice began clapping her hands and hopping from foot to foot. Oh god, that couldn't lead to anything good. I waited; I knew she'd spill. I wasn't disappointed. "So, tomorrow night, clubbing, yeah?" She asked hopefully. All I did was smile in reply and she was off, running back towards the house.

Her head was filled with ideas for dresses and outfits for us all. I cringed at some of the more outlandish ideas but had to smile at the idea of 'dating' my fiancé.

**BPOV**

I saw Alice come back first and when she threw me a thumbs up and a wicked grin as she ran across the yard I giggled. She really was evil, god knows what evilness she had just subjected Edward to.

Carlisle had just arrived home and was calling me softly, asking me to meet him in his study for today's exam. He'd been unable to come home during the day citing an emergency room incident, the details of which I'd been spared, thank god. I made my way down to the study door, meeting Edward on the landing.

His head was hung low and he wouldn't meet my eyes. He silently asked if it was still all right for him to attend my 'appointment' with Carlisle.

"Of course you can Edward, jeez." I huffed, letting him know I _was_ still pissed but I wasn't vindictive and nor would I ever exclude him from this. I opened the door and moved inside. Edward followed me in but he sat on the sofa while I sat in the visitor's chair.

"Everything alright?" Carlisle asked with a smirk. He knew. He knew Edward was in the proverbial doghouse with me. I don't know how, but he knew.

"All good dad." I grinned right back at him, knowing Edward couldn't see my facial expressions from where he sat. Carlisle nodded and we began the exam.

"Anything new today Bella?" He asked and I shook my head, no. "And your weight?"

"No gain today. I am the same as yesterday even though I hunted last night and again this afternoon already." I stated simply, wondering if that was normal.

Carlisle wrote this down on my file with a brief nod of his head. "Okay. How much did you sleep over night?" He asked and I told him 5 hours. This was the longest sleep I'd had so far, but yesterday had been very, very tiring, as had Saturday, so I wasn't worried about that at all. Neither was Carlisle.

Of course Edward was. I tried so hard not to roll my eyes as he spoke, but failed miserably. "What is your theory on the extended sleeping pattern Carlisle?" He asked.

"My theory?" He asked and Edward again asked for his professional opinion. "My opinion is that Isabella was tired Edward." He said with a chuckle and I couldn't help the bark of laughter that came out of my mouth. I heard Edward huff behind me but I ignored it.

He kept silent outwardly but inwardly he was berating me for not taking the exam seriously, for behaving like a child and laughing at his very legitimate question just now. I let it slide, I was still angry and hurt from our altercation in the clearing earlier, I didn't want to add any more fuel to my already slow simmering fire, if it could be avoided. I silently wished Edward would just be quiet now and let Carlisle do his job.

**EPOV**

The least Carlisle could do is take this seriously. Encouraging Bella to make merry at the situation wasn't helpful at all. Nobody had yet mentioned that she'd run off with Seth, alone, today. Surely Carlisle would back me up in that regard, and not just because she was newborn, but especially seeing as she was pregnant.

"Shouldn't you palpate her abdomen Carlisle? Take a measurement of her belly? Is it too soon to monitor the foetal heart rate?" I asked, thinking these would be logical next steps as the pregnancy progressed.

Carlisle looked up from his writing with a wry smile for me. '_Thank you Dr Cullen.'_ He shot me mentally and I cringed. Oops. "Yes Edward, those are all fine suggestions, and for various reasons completely useless in this situation. Firstly, we have no idea what the gestation length is going to be with Bella, so palpating her abdomen is a wasted exercise, as I have no bell curve to plot the results against. Second, if she is not gaining weight in any plottable pattern taking a measurement is useless. And thirdly Bella can hear the heartbeat herself, inside herself, so there is no need for the monitor. Son, just calm down, everything is fine, Bella is fine, and the baby is growing and fine. When we get to Italy our questions will all be answered, I'm sure. Until then we do our best, take copious notes and wait." He said and closed Bella's file while I sat open mouthed and gaped. It's not often I get put in my place so many times in one day. "Right, well, I'm due back at the hospital for another few hours so I'll leave you two to…yes, I'll see you this evening." He grabbed Bella's file and put it back into his medical bag and was gone before Bella had stood from her chair.

'_Good luck with that son, you're gonna need it.' _Carlisle was chuckling to himself as he said that silently and I grimaced. Yeah, good luck with that Edward indeed.

I watched as Bella walked calmly out of the door and headed back up to our room. I took a moment to run a hand through my hair at the study door before I followed her. This was going to be…painful at best…a slaughter at worst. Crap.

I found her on our sofa with her legs curled underneath her and the afghan over her feet. She had a pack of photographs in her hand and she was looking at each one briefly before putting it at the back of the pile. She was pissed. Seriously pissed. She didn't even look up at me as I came to sit on the coffee table in front of her.

"Bella, honey, please can we talk about what happened today?" I began. "Please let me apologize, let me make it up to you."

She put the last photograph into the packet and set the packet on the floor beside the sofa then sat up straight and looked me dead in the eye. "You're an asshole."

"I am. I truly am. I'm so sorry Bella, please you have to know how sorry I am for what I did to you today, and to Seth, Alice, shit to everyone." I ran my hand through my hair and reached for her hand as it hung beside her. She jerked it away and squinted her angry eyes at me.

"You accused me of being unfaithful Edward, you accused me of being with Seth in the clearing for something other than his company. You shoved him Edward. You screamed at me, right in my face, in front of Seth. You scared him and you scared me." She accused and I knew she was right.

"I did." Was all I could say because she was right.

"Now I know that I've accused you of the same things, that night with Rose. And I know I've no right to be pissed because you weren't pissed at me, but I'm pissed Edward. Really pissed." She spat.

I hadn't even drawn a correlation to this situation and the previous one with Rose and I, but now that I thought about it, it was similar. She'd over reacted that night as I was now. She'd accused without asking for explanation, as I had earlier. The only way this situation differed was this, for me, had begun as sheer panic and fear. I'd thought she was a bloody fool for going out into the woods unprotected, without Alice or me, and I'd reacted the way I had because of fear. Bella had over reacted that day because of anger. Same situation, different motivations, but I hoped same outcomes.

"I know you're pissed Bella, believe me I know you are. And I'm so sorry, look at me…look at me Bella…read me, know that I'm telling you the truth when I say I'm sorry. Know that I didn't mean what I thought out there. Know that I was just trying to protect you, I just want to keep you safe Bella." I desperately hoped she was following both the conversation and my brain activity because then she'd know how sincere I was.

"I know you think it's your job to protect me Edward but I'm a person, I have a brain, I even know how to use it. You seemed surprised by that at the meeting on Saturday night and I let that slide because it was probably a side to me you'd not seen before, but god Edward…do you have any idea how condescending you are sometimes towards me?" She asked, real pain in her voice.

I was shocked, she thought I was condescending? I was offended. I was being protective, I was being her mate, and I was being her man. She wasn't someone I thought was less intelligent than me, she was my mate, my love my everything.

Her snort of derision as I sifted through my thoughts formulating my answer made me stiffen. She doubted me? "You doubt me?" I asked, knowing it was a useless exercise, as she'd already read the question in my head.

**BPOV**

This was all going so badly. I knew what I wanted to say but not how to express it without inflicting pain on him. I took a deep gulp of air and began slowly.

"No Edward, I don't doubt you, at all. I wish you could read me right now to know that I'm telling you the truth when I say that. But, this has all happened so fast. A few short months. And no matter how perfect for each other we are I'm still really only a seventeen-year-old girl Edward. I have no experience of this, with anything really. Before I met you I was a high school student whose only ambition was to get through the school year and make it to graduation without being noticed. Now I find myself here, engaged, pregnant, a vampire. I've got a lot of catching up to do Edward. You've been alive for such a long time, you know things. You know how to do things, how to handle things. You know how the world works. I know how to drive. That is the sum extent of my expertise. I don't even know how to conduct this relationship properly and I'm afraid I'm going to fuck it up. I want to be someone you can relate to, someone who you can talk to, really talk to. I'm going to have to grow up real fast now Edward. We're going to be parents in a short while and I haven't even really worked out how to live without my own just yet." I sat back down on the sofa, exhausted already. I had only one more thing I wanted to say and I hoped it would explain what I felt better than all else I'd said to him today. "I just want to be your equal Edward."

I watched his eyes dart to where I sat. He flared his nostrils and his eyebrows met in the centre for the second time today. "No Isabella, we'll never be equals." And with that he fled the room, leaving me to slump back onto the sofa.

"I don't know Bella, he took the Guardian, left onto the highway." Emmett offered.

"Maybe he's just gone to town for something yeah?" Jasper said with a tilt of his head.

"Maybe." I whispered and went back up to our room to wait. I tried his cell phone again but it went straight to his message bank. I flicked my phone shut without leaving a message for him.

Alice came to check on me at midnight. She flopped down onto the bed beside me and stroked my hair.

"He'll be back, he's just gone to cool off, that's all."

"I know. I just wish I knew where he was. He won't answer his phone and nobody knows where he is. It was a stupid fight." I told her, even though I was still pissed, especially at his parting offering. 'We aren't equals.' Was what he'd said and it had stung. It wasn't like it wasn't the truth, but it still hurt to hear it out loud. "Have you not been able to see him since he left then?" I asked panicked.

"I've looked but I've not seen anything. But don't read too much into that, it could just be because he's not making decisions Bella. He could be sitting in the car somewhere moping. If you're really that worried we can head out and look for him if you like?" she asked but I knew that would do no good. If Edward didn't want to be found he'd not be found, simple as that.

"No thanks Alice, he'll come home when he's ready." I had a suspicion that the reason Alice couldn't see him was because he'd gone to the Reservation. I knew he had arranged to speak with Sam earlier but I assumed it would be a quick trip and that he'd be home by now. I guess he stayed to talk.

"You should sleep a little. That way you wont notice how long he's gone. Do you want me to lay with you for a bit?" She offered and I nodded. Alice knew I didn't want to be alone right then. I scooted over so that I was on my side of the bed and Alice lay down next to me and began to smooth out the tangles of my hair.

I never thought I'd be able to sleep but within minutes of Alice's sweet ministrations I was gone.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33 Not My Brothers

**EPOV**

I fingered the bottles shredded label again as Sam reached into the cooler for another for himself and another for Charlie.

"If you ever work out the answer kid you be sure to let me know." Charlie laughed then took another swig of his beer.

"Me too. I've got no idea what I'm doing half the time and the other half I don't think Emily does. We're screwed dude." Sam offered as he too took a long pull of his beer.

"Well fuck, you two aren't any help at all then." I laughed, watching the amusement in their eyes as it matched up with their slurred words in their brains. They were both tanked. Under normal circumstances I'd have enjoyed that immensely. I twisted my unopened beer bottle in my hands and began to tug the soaked rear label off with my fingers.

"Sorry son, but there isn't a man alive, or dead," Charlie chuckled pointing his bottle at me, "that understands the way women think, you're nothing special in that regard."

"Well thanks Charlie, I feel so much better now." I laughed.

"Yeah well, you're asking the wrong man if you think I can offer any insight into what women mean when they say things. I've been on my own for fifteen years and now…you know." He shrugged and we all laughed.

"Oh come on Charlie, you must have some pretty impressive moves if you've got Renee back after all these years. The least you could do was share some of your mojo with a bro." Sam slapped Charlie's shoulder and before long the three of us were back to staring at our beer bottles, none the wiser for any of the jocularity. I still had no idea how to fix the situation with Bella and nobody, it seemed, could help me with that.

I flared my nostrils at the foul stench emanating from the cartons Paul and Embry bought into the kitchen with them. The three wolves devoured, with slight assistance from Charlie, the contents of the containers within minutes as I watched in disgust. "Do you miss food?" Charlie asked and I shook my head violently.

"Not at all. No. It all smells so disgusting to me." They all laughed and continued to stuff themselves with the human fuel. I suppressed shudder after shudder as they licked their fingers and wiped their faces. "The beer smells less gross, but only marginally." I told Sam as he reached for another and began to throw bottles towards his pack mates.

"You were seventeen when you um…you know…right?" Sam asked and I nodded. I suppressed my chuckle at his forming question and waited for him to verbalize it for the benefit of the group. "So, have you ever gotten drunk then?"

"No, never. Apart from being raise right in the middle of prohibition…my father allowed me a small glass of wine, when he could get it, with my evening meal after I had turned sixteen, but never enough to make me intoxicated, no." I answered honestly.

"What about smoking? Did you ever smoke anything?" Paul asked with wide eyes.

"No. My father smoked a pipe and tobacco but he never offered it to me and I never had the inclination to try it for myself." I had my father's pipe, it now stood on the bottom shelf of the new bookcases in our room.

"Weird. What about anything, um…close your ears Charlie…what about anything less legal then?" Paul asked me, throwing a glance towards Charlie who merely rolled his eyes.

"No. Snuff was the drug of choice in my era but I never indulged. The war was raging around us, drugs and alcohol were luxuries, or illegal, and most ordinary people couldn't spare the money to spend on it anyway." I had no desire to add that my family could have afforded many of the luxuries of the time, but we did not. My parents found it unsavory and highly immoral to indulge in petty delights while so many went without. We had toned down our existence and I knew my mother took great pride that she was able to hold her head high in the main street.

"Ladies…what about the ladies?" Embry asked with a wicked inflection to his voice. "You'd have no troubles with the ladies would you Eddie? Rich, strong, fast, did I mention rich?" He laughed and the others all leaned in a little further waiting for my answer. I looked Charlie who just shrugged.

'_Tell them whatever you want son, it's no matter to me what went on before you met my girl._' He told me silently as he took another swig of his beer.

"The whole bloodlust thing sort of puts a damper on that, sorry guys, there's nothing to tell about the ladies." I said with a mock grimace, hoping they'd drop it.

"You serious?" Paul asked incredulously. "Well damn, aint that a pisser? All that money and all those good looks and not a wild oat to be sown. Poor bastard." He clapped me on the back and they all roared laughing again. I just shrugged and hoped they'd move on.

"Well shit, what can you do for fun then?" Embry asked.

"He drives too fast." Charlie laughed so hard at his own joke that he toppled slightly sideways in his chair. I reached out a hand and steadied him, righting him.

"It's only too fast to you Charlie." I laughed in reply.

"What else?" Paul asked. "What do you lot do for fun now?"

I thought about it for a moment before I answered. "Emmett and Rose work on the cars, but you knew that. Oh, and us three boys have bikes as well, but you knew that too. Um, Esme is an interior designer so she likes to do that. Alice likes fashion so she shops. Jasper writes about the civil war in his spare time and he spends a lot of time researching for that. Carlisle has the hospital to keep him busy, so he's there a lot. Bella is starting to take photography more seriously so maybe that's what she'll do for fun. I play my piano and read." By the time I'd finished cataloguing the families hobbies and various talents and took the time to look around me I came face to face with four very stunned faces.

"Yeah, those are all great things, really they are, but what the fuck dude?" Paul was gaping at me after he said it and I knew now why they were all shocked.

We didn't do a single thing for fun. "Do you even know how to have fun?"

"I have no idea…I honestly have no idea anymore." I answered truthfully. I ran my hand through my hair once more and listened to the sympathetic mental voices around me. It had been so long, too long, since I had had nothing to worry about. Twelve years to be exact. Now I wasn't sure if I remembered how it felt to just cut loose, be myself and not have a care in the world. I wondered if I'd ever had that or whether I'd ever have that again. "What do you do for fun?" I asked the assembled group.

Charlie answered first with a resounding "Any game currently playing on ESPN!" to which the whole group clapped and cheered.

Paul stood and shook his ass in the general direction of the group and shouted 'Pan's Paradise' and when I looked at him blankly he lifted an eyebrow and said that it was the local pub and apparently the waitresses took their tops off on 'Tops off Tuesday's'…charming.

"What about you Sam?" I asked.

"I'm not one for the titty bars but I like a drink and sometimes Emily and I go into Port Angeles to see a band or go to a movie. She likes to dance so we go to clubs a bit on a Saturday night." He shrugged and I imagined those were all perfectly normal things to do with ones significant other.

That only left Embry and when I looked over to him he had a smirk on his face a mile wide and evilness in his brain. "Well now Eddie, it seems none of these losers indulge in anything that has taken your fancy, that leaves you with me dude." He laughed and the other members of the pack joined in, leaving both Charlie and I staring at him in question. "You like speed right?" He asked and I nodded. "And danger doesn't bother you, right?" I chuckled and said right. "What about heights?" He asked and I said they didn't bother me either.

"What's your point Embry?" I finally asked.

"La Push beach has a fairly steep drop, that's all I'm saying. If height aint an issue and you like a bit of danger and speed maybe you should come out on Sunday and hang with some of us? You vamps like the water yeah? So a bit of cliff diving might just peak your interest Eddie." He offered with a nod of his head and a clink of his beer bottle against mine.

"Cliff diving? As in stand at the top of the cliff and jump off into the water?" I asked incredulously.

"Yeah. It's pretty high but even Seth likes the odd jump, so you should be able to handle it." He laughed.

Cliff diving? Holy shit. Why hadn't I thought of that before? Water…speed…height…danger…dudes that weren't my brothers…"I'm in but don't fucking call me Eddie."

**BPOV**

_Edward was crouched over the tiny body with his teeth bared. The baby never moved and it's eyes never opened. I snarled at him and hissed as he sunk lower and lower towards it._

_I slipped further into my own crouch and prepared to fight, "Get the fuck away Edward, don't make me hurt you." I spat at him but he ignored me and lowered his mouth closer to the exposed flesh._

_Long white fingers came around my wrists, my waist and my ankles as the rest of the family held me to the ground. All I could do was watch as Edward sunk his teeth into my son's neck. _

_The scream that echoed around the woods was blood curdling. _

_I was being shaken by the hands that held me and I fought against them with all the strength I possessed. "Don't change him, don't change my baby!" I screamed as I broke free from their hold and sprang upwards._

"Bella! Baby. Come back to me." Edward whimpered from where he sat on our bed. I shook my head to clear my thoughts and I realized that I was in our room, not in the woods. There was no body, no baby boy, nobody was holding me down. Edward came towards me and I cringed away from him in irrational fear. He backed off slightly and it was then that I saw Alice in the far corner of the room. She was visibly shaking and was being comforted by Carlisle, who stood to her left with an arm around her. "Bella, please." Edward said again, very softly.

I let him come towards me this time, I needed him so badly. I let him fold me into his arms. He kissed my hair and began to whisper quietly into my ear that everything was okay, I was okay, our baby was okay and that I had only been dreaming. I sobbed against his chest as the images of the tiny body flooded through my mind.

"We'll leave you to it, call if you need us." Carlisle was saying as he took Alice out the door with him. I heard them but didn't lift my face from Edward's chest to see them. The fear and anguish on their faces was something I couldn't handle right now.

Edward led me back to the bed and laid me down on the edge before coming up behind me and cradling me in his arms against his chest. "It's okay now darling. I'm here. Nothing will hurt you or the baby, I swear. I love you so much. So very much." He crooned over and over as I sobbed.

We sat like that for a long, long time. I cried silent tears in fear for my unborn child and Edward told me everything was going to be all right. I tried very hard to concentrate on his verbal comfort, not his mental thoughts, which were in disarray. Eventually I calmed enough for him to ask what I'd seen, why I was so upset.

"Our baby was dying. You were about to change him. I was so angry I was preparing to fight you, to make you get away from him, but the others held me off." I choked out.

"Oh baby. That will never happen love. I can guarantee that will never happen. Our baby will be strong, half vampire love. I doubt anyone could change him, or her, anyway." He was stroking my hair and I was overcome with a sense of serenity as his words washed over me. He was right. Our baby wasn't going to be completely human, it was going to be strong, right from the off. Thank god.

"It was just a dream Bella, nothing to be frightened of, nobody will hurt our baby, I promise." He said again and punctuated the statement with another kiss in my hair.

It was then that the nights, and yesterdays, events came back to me. I leapt off the bed and rounded on him. "You!" I yelled, pointing straight at him. "You left me!" I spat. "You were awful to everyone and then you just left. How could you Edward? Where did you go? You didn't phone, you wouldn't answer, where did you go?"

I glanced at the clock by the bed and saw that it was now three o'clock in the morning. I'd been asleep for three hours, god knows how long he'd been home but he definitely hadn't been here when I'd gone to bed because Alice had been in our bed with me.

I took a deep breath and continued, "Why do you do that? Run away? You're over a hundred years old Edward and yet you run away from problems like a ten year old hiding a broken toy from his mother. You thought I was irresponsible yesterday, but the way I see it I'm the adult here, you run and I stay and fight for you. For us."

He ran a hand through his hair and I could see and hear in his mind how sorry he was for all he'd done the day before. But I wasn't to be placated with that. I was angry, really angry. I watched him step off the side of the bed and go towards the double glass doors. If he stepped out of them I'd follow and take him down. He'd run from me for the last time. He didn't run, instead he paced along the width of the windows, looking out over the yard. He too was running over in his mind what he wanted to say, so I tried my best to stay out of his head while he formulated his speech.

He made another circuit of the windows, back then forth, and then he came to where I stood and he took me by the shoulders with his hands. "I'm so sorry for all of this. I've fucked everything up, haven't I?" He sounded so hurt, so lost, so defeated that I groaned.

"No Edward, nothing is beyond repair. And it's not just you, it's me too. I've had a hand in fucking this up, trust me." I replied, hoping he'd see the truth in that.

Instead he shook his head and stepped away from me again, back to the windows. This time he stood with his hands laced behind his back staring out at the midnight blue sky. "Alice once told me that she couldn't see our future because you didn't have all the information you needed. She said that for you, before I told you what I was, that the hardest decision you'd had to make so far in your life was whether or not to let yourself fall in love with me. I wish I could make that true for you now Bella. I wish that was the hardest decision you and I would ever need to make."

I thought about what he'd said and then I knew what I had to say. "I know I've told you this before Edward, but I don't think you've ever really listened when I've said it." I went to stand beside him and put my fingers through his hands, stroking the back of his hand with my thumb. "You don't need to make decisions for me Edward. We should be making them together. That's why we aren't equals. Not because I'm too good for you or you're not good enough for me. The reason we aren't equals is because you want to make decisions for us when we should be making them together. I know I did the wrong thing, gave you reason to worry, going to the clearing with Seth on my own. And for that I'm sorry. And I've accepted that you're sorry for your reaction to that. So that is a dead issue now. What I don't like, what makes me angry, is when you run."

"I know it does, and I've tried to reign the impulse in. But today, tonight, when you wouldn't even look at me, I was lost Bella." He leaned his head against the glass and let out a deep sigh.

**EPOV**

Would she never understand the depth of my love for her? How much I worried for her? How much I strived to keep her safe? I knew I ran away, a lot, but it was the only way I could distance myself from pain. I didn't want her to see me fall apart. I didn't want her to see me as less of a man for it. I didn't want her to have to deal with my petty jealousies, so it was easier that I just removed myself from the situation. Wasn't it?

"No Edward, it's not easier. It's actually harder, on us both, when you run. It drags out the inevitable discussion, it makes making up much harder and it leaves us apart which is never a good thing." Being read sucked ass, I thought as her words washed over me. "Where did you go Edward?" She asked.

"I went to your parents, but your mother said Charlie was at the Rez so I went there."

"What for?" She asked. It was a fair question. The whole drive there I asked it of myself too.

"Good question. At first I just wanted to talk to your parents, to find out how to fix what I'd done. I thought they might have some insight into how to go about groveling. They didn't." I laughed but continued, "So I went to the Rez and sat around with Sam and your dad and a couple of the other boys there. Shooting shit I think it's called."

"And what did you learn?" She asked. Again good question.

"I learnt that we are fairly normal. We fight, we make up, and we fight again. They all do. I also learnt that I'm no fun." When she giggled I stood straight and looked at her. "Neither are you apparently, so don't be too smug." She stopped laughing. "Embry asked what we did for fun and I couldn't tell him because we don't do anything for fun. That hurt Bella. You were right when you said that this has all come about so fast, you and I. In a way Phil was right, you're seventeen years old and should be out having fun. Instead you're here, pregnant no less, and a fucking vampire. It's what I wanted, for as long as I can remember it's what I wanted. Truly it is, you know that to be true. But I can't help thinking we've gone about this ass about."

I let that sink and in and then Bella went and sat on the sofa, folding her legs underneath her. She patted the seat beside her and I slid into it. I took her hand in mine and rolled her engagement ring through my fingers as she spoke. "It was fast Edward. But I'd never do any of it differently. Imagine how much we may have missed out on had we done this in a normal timeframe? What if we'd waited to change me till I'd finished college? Then we'd get married, like other people do, when they've finished their degree, that puts me at 25ish. That's eight years of just waiting Edward, and for what? For me to get a few wrinkles and saggy boobs? No thanks. Jacob decided this for us Edward, but the rest is ours to do with what we can. Does that make sense?" She asked and I looked at her quizzically. She went on, "Jacob made it so that I had to be changed now, at seventeen. But I was already pregnant Edward we just didn't know. From what Carlisle has found out I'd need to be changed soon anyway to have any hope of surviving the birth, so with or without Jacob I'd be vampire about now anyway."

Fuck. She was right. "Holy shit, I've never, ever thought of it that way before." I knew I was mumbling but Bella let me go on, "I've loved you for so long Bella, long before you even knew of my existence, so that part hasn't been so fast for me."

"Maybe not, but love is love Edward. Whether it's a slow burn or a raging inferno it's the same love." She answered and I looked at her in amazement. When did she get so smart? She giggled then and I knew I'd been read once more. "What I'm trying to say is that I'm glad we're here, now, as we are because it negates all the bullshit Edward. I knew from the moment you sat down next to me in that class that I was yours and pretty soon after I found out that you were mine too. That was never going to change, human or not. And now we've made a baby together Edward and that's a miracle in itself, so I cant regret that either. And yes it's all happened so fast, but so what? It's what we both wanted we just got here faster that's all."

"It always sounds so easy when you say it, when I think it it sounds wrong and selfish and …" My next words were swallowed as she kissed me. It wasn't a normal kiss though, it was as if she was breathing life back into me. I felt all her love, her concern, her anger and her courage flood into me as she held me to her and kissed me passionately. I reached for her as she reached for me and we met in the middle of the sofa in a tight embrace. Oh god she felt so good, so right, all I've ever wanted. She had to know how much I wanted her, how much her loving me back meant to me?

"I do Edward, I do know that. It's the same for me, I need you to know how much you loving me back means to me." She whimpered against my lips. "We need to be equals Edward, nothing else is good enough for me." She rasped out as she plunged her tongue back between my parted lips.

**BPOV**

I needed him to be inside me now, right now. I needed to feel him move against me, inside me, with me. I needed to know that we were all right, that he'd not run again, that he'd stay and fight for us just like I do.

"Tell me Edward." I barked as I pulled my lips from his and pulled him to his feet.

"I love you Bella, with everything I am, only you." He answered but it wasn't what I wanted to hear.

"No Edward, tell me we're going to be equals from now on." I growled as I pulled him down onto the bed on top of me.

As his lips found mine I heard him say it, silently, '_Yes Bella, equals, from now on we'll be equal.' _

It was all I'd ever wanted, to be his true partner. He was all I'd ever wanted and all I'd ever need. As I took him into my body the sun began to rise above the river and Edward and I began again, another first, our first day of being truly equal in this life.

"Bella, Edward, can I come in?" It was Alice. I pulled the blankets up around myself as Edward told her to come on in.

"Are you both okay?" She asked in a quiet voice, coming into the room but stopping beside the sofa.

"Yeah, we're fine Alice. Thanks for…you know…" Edward said shyly.

"Yeah, I know. And you're welcome. We're going to head off to school now so I'll see you both this afternoon okay?" She blew me a kiss and then she stood stock still, staring at Edward for a few moments and then she was gone.

"What was that about?" I asked, hoping to see a hint of it in his mind.

"Ahh…well…I've been thinking…you see, Sam was right, we don't have a lot of fun do we? When Alice and I were talking in the clearing yesterday she told me about a club in Port Angeles on Saturday night. I don't even know if it's something you'd like to do…"

I didn't let him finish before I leapt up onto his waist and shouted hell yes, I wanted to go. He was startled to say the least.

"Oh, wait, can I go to a club?" I asked, suddenly worried about being a place with so many humans, all sweating and delicious.

Edward started laughing, loudly, so I smacked him on the chest and said he must tell me what was so funny.

"We've just had a monumental disagreement about me 'not being the boss of you' and then you go and ask if you can go to a club!" He laughed again and I joined in.

"I guess I'll have to get used to being an adult now then huh? I'm only seventeen Edward, you might look seventeen but you're ancient, I actually am seventeen." I teased and he huffed.

"No saggy boobs for you." He teased right back and we both collapsed back onto the bed laughing our heads off.

"So am I'm stuck with you today then?" I huffed and Edward chuckled. He ran his hand up until his fingers were wound into my hair then he pulled me back so that he could kiss me soundly on the lips.

"You're well and truly stuck with me Isabella. And not just for today either." He laughed as he jumped off the foot end of the bed and strode towards the bathroom.

**EPOV**

Women who were so contradictory it wasn't even funny anymore ran my entire life! I was whipped, under the thumb, a kept man and to be honest I loved every minute of it!

I stepped under the steaming hot water and began to clean myself when Bella came to the bathroom door, a cheeky grin on her face. "Yes Bella, what can I do for you?"

"Has Alice seen us at this club?" she asked and I immediately replayed the image of Bella in the mini skirt and the skimpy top in my mind.

"Yes, she has. You looked fine to me." I grinned.

"Hey! I saw that! Dirty boy. But that's not what I'm asking. Am I okay, with all the people there?" She asked.

"Yes Bella, you were okay in Alice's vision. We'll hunt on the way, during and after if you need to. We'll all be there to help. We wont let anything happen to you, I promise." I rinsed the suds out of my hair and turned the water off. Bella handed me a towel, with an appreciative glance at my body into the bargain, then went back into our room.

A clean set of clothes was waiting for me on the bed but Bella was gone from the room. I could hear her talking with Esme downstairs so I took my time getting dressed, and then I made the bed and took the clothes hamper downstairs to the laundry room before going to find them.

Bella was dusting the sideboard in the living room and Esme was changing the slipcovers on the cushions. Esme was humming softly and Bella was swaying softly as Esme sang. They were both so very, very beautiful. I knew they knew I was there, they were vampire and they'd smell me long before I said anything but they both played along.

"Hello ladies." I said as I came to the door of the laundry room. "You are both looking so very lovely today. Would either of you care to join me in a spot of hunting?" I held my hand out for either, or both of them to take. Neither disappointed me.

"Why thank you sir, I'd be delighted to accompany you." Esme said, coming to my side and taking my outstretched hand.

Bella came to me and put her hand in the crook of my arm, "Why thank you Mr Cullen, I am quite peckish." She smiled up at me, her eyes twinkling with mirth.

Without alerting Esme I told Bella that we were headed in a different direction and that she needed to trust me. She nodded once to let me know she'd read me and then I told her that we were going to head toward town but that we'd come out of the woods a good distance from anyone other than the wolves at Sam's workshop. She nodded again and smiled widely.

"Thank you partner." She whispered to me. I told her she was most welcome.

Esme closed and locked the door behind us as we left. We ran down the front drive this time, a different route for Bella, and headed out along the edge of the highway. Operation Bella-gets-used-to-human-scent-before-we-hit-the-clubs was under way!

"You'll be fine and we'll be right beside you the whole time. Come on beautiful girls, let's go socialize." I grabbed Bella's hand with my left and Esme's hand with my right and led them both into Sam's workshop.

Bella took a good gulp of clean air outside the building and let it out slowly as we came inside to where there were four humans standing around a beat up old Volkswagen busily debating the wisdom of having it fixed, again, or letting it die a natural death. There was a distinct odor of wolf emanating from the offices to the left so that is where I led the girls. We found Seth lounging in an office chair reading a comic book and Sam on the phone to a supplier.

"Hey Seth." I announced our presence and he leapt out of the chair and came to Bella's side instantly. He looked her over from head to foot and I noticed, with a smirk, that he was pleased she was in one piece despite our altercation yesterday.

"Hi Edward, hi Esme. Hello Bella, you want to sit down?" He nodded to the chair he'd just vacated and Bella giggled.

"Hi Seth, no thanks." She giggled again and Seth laughed a little when he realized that Bella didn't need to sit, ever. "How are you today Seth?" She asked.

"Really great. Are you guys here to collect me?" He asked, hoping we were.

"This is a little practice run for Bella. She wants to come to school on Friday so we're going to hang out with humans a little in the next few days." I nodded towards the window that separated the offices from the workshop and Seth looked out to where the human group stood, still arguing. Sam finished his call and came towards us, hand outstretched. I shook it and listened as he ran the previous nights conversations through his mind.

"Good to see you Edward, nice to see you Esme. Nice to see you Bella." Sam said and I caught the inflection in his voice as he mentioned Bella. She said hello but went back to whispering with Seth. Sam thought she was looking great for someone who'd more than likely been up half the night arguing with her fiancé.

"Hello Sam." Esme said quietly as she watched Seth and Bella move closer to each other as the conversation went on. It was quite strange for me to see, the way they gravitated toward one another. For Seth it was a protection instinct, a deep-seated desire to watch over her. I wasn't sure what the reasoning was for Bella. When she shot me a warning glance I quickly told her it was just an errant thought and that I meant nothing by it. She softened her facial expression and returned to the quiet conversation she was having with Seth.

"Hey Sam, how have you fared overnight?" I asked knowing he was feeling less than perfect after indulging last night.

"Ahh, well, I'm a fair bit older than the other two, so not too well. I checked Charlie this morning and at least he's worse off than me. My mother always told me not to play on a school night." He laughed and I joined him. "If you'll excuse me I think my customers have decided they'd like me to try to fix that heap. I'll come by for Seth after work if that's okay?" He asked.

"I can bring him home, if that's okay with you, I mean?" Bella asked.

"Yeah, can she? I can show her the Rez." Seth asked enthusiastically.

"It's fine by me, but you've got assignments to finish so don't keep Bella out too late." Sam chuckled as he left to tend to business.

Esme and I stood off to the side watching Bella and Seth make plans for their day together. Esme was beaming and thinking about how wonderful it was for Bella to have a friend like Seth. Me? I was watching my fiancé laugh and joke with a boy who was thinking about how lucky he was that he'd be able to spend upwards of six hours with her.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34 Trouble

**BPOV**

"Hello, it's nice to meet you. Hi, hello…thank you…hello…I prefer Bella, hi…" I felt like a museum exhibit so many people had come out of their homes to meet me. Seth insisted I come into the Rez to be shown around when I bought him home. Edward had also insisted that he accompany me on the pretext that I would be unprotected on the return journey if he didn't attend. But we both knew that he was as jealous as hell of me seeming to be Seth's prize possession today. I wouldn't say anything though, I knew how it irritated Edward that I could read those kinds of thoughts and I also knew that he was trying very hard to stay out of Seth's head as much as possible today.

Seth bounced back to my side and tugged on my hand. "Come on, come check out my bike." He pulled me towards a rusty shed at the back of the property line and proceeded to tell both Edward and I all about the trail bike he had stashed in there. I left them both to it and wandered around for a bit on my own.

It was a nice place, very quiet. The people seemed to genuinely like each other and the children played in the yards with each other for hours. The women stood talking as they went about their chores much as Esme and I did. I was surrounded by humans but didn't once feel my thirst become too unmanageable. As long as I kept running the relationships of these people through my mind they were people and not prey.

I watched two tiny girls swinging on a tyre swing for a while but eventually I heard Edward asking after me and I made my way back to the shed.

"We should get home Isabella, Seth has school work to do and Carlisle will be needing to see you too." Edward came to stand beside me and took my hand in his.

"I guess so. Are you two finished with the bike talk then?" I shot a smile at Seth and he nodded. "Well then, I guess I'll see you at school on Friday Seth?"

"Yeah, are you looking forward to that?" He asked as he closed the doors on the shed behind us.

"I am actually. I have missed my friends and I want to make an appearance, at least once more, this term." I answered as we made our way back to where the Guardian was parked. "Come give me a hug." I asked Seth and he ran to my arms and squeezed me tightly. As I let him go he kissed me lightly on the cheek and went to fist bump Edward.

"See you Friday Bella, see you tomorrow Edward."

"See you tomorrow Seth, go do your work." Edward ordered and Seth rolled his eyes as we drove away.

Edward was playing the kiss over and over in his mind as we drove home.

"Is there something you'd like to talk about Edward?" I asked as he pulled his eyes off the road and back to me.

"No Bella." He said sadly as he thought about upsetting me again with his jealousies.

"He's a sweet kid, that's all." I mumbled hoping that would be the end of it.

"I know he is. He's very fond of you. He was so proud to call you his friend today as he introduced us around." I knew what it was that Edward was hiding from his speech so I waited patiently for him to put voice to it. He looked over at me and scrunched his face up as he realized he'd been read, again. "Shit Bella, its irrational, I cant control it anymore than you can control your thirst baby. I don't mean it, not really." He grimaced as the thoughts ran through his mind again.

"Can you tell me why you think it though, why only Seth?" I asked, trying to work out the reasons behind his thoughts.

As we rounded the last bend before our driveway he pulled the car off to the side of the road and ran a hand through his hair. "Okay, I'll try. Some examples might help, yes? The first time Seth came over after school, when I was showing him the Veyron? Do you remember that day?" I nodded and he went on, "Seth was drawn to your side Bella. He didn't merely want to stand next to his friend, he was compelled to stand by you. Like a guardian…I don't know…not really like a guardian either, he just needed to stand by you."

"Okay I think I've explained this to you before Edward. Seth feels as protective of me as I do of him. We formed a bond that day, it wont go away simply because the danger has been removed." I tried my best to keep emotion out of the equation for Edward without me telling him about my need to be near Seth too. I didn't understand it yet so I doubted telling Edward would help ease his already jumbled thoughts on the matter.

"I know that Bella and that's what makes it so irrational for me. Another example. At the workshop this morning, when you were speaking with him, laughing and joking, his thoughts weren't…well they weren't exactly…" He couldn't quite form the words he needed so I prodded.

"What Edward? They weren't pure? They weren't brotherly toward me? What were they exactly?" I asked.

"I can't say what they were exactly, word for word. But he was thinking how fucking lucky he was that he was going to be able to spend six hours with you today." He huffed as he finished the sentence and ran the hand through his hair again.

I giggled, I couldn't help it. He shot me a look to show me how unimpressed he was that I was making this into a joke. "Sorry. But you don't really have very much to go on, do you? He stood near me and then he was thinking how nice it was to spend some time with me today. Oh god, how will we survive with that kind of salacious thinking going on around us?" I laughed this time, loudly and Edward grimaced.

"Okay, I can see how it looks to you, you think I'm seeing things that aren't there. I get that. Did it escape your notice how he introduced us today? This is my friend Bella Swan and this is Edward Cullen. He didn't introduce me as his friend, only you Bella. Will you look and really listen next time you see him, please? If you say I'm seeing and hearing things that aren't there then I will back off." He punctuated the last few words with his fist to the steering wheel. He was really, really agitated so I quickly agreed that I would take more notice the next time I was near Seth. That seemed to calm him down and we were soon pulling into the driveway.

"Hello dears, there was a delivery for you Bella dear, it's on the console table in the dining room." Esme called as we came in through the front door.

I grinned at Edward, knowing it would be today's charm, and ran to the dining room to retrieve it. I tore the by now familiar brown paper off the parcel and slid the black satin pouch out of the envelope. Opening the lilac page I read, "My darling Isabella, with only two dozen days before we wed I thought you should know that I am bound to by any and all means that you care to name. You wear my name on your skin, my mark, your bond to me. Wear this and know that I am bonded to you, as the mark on your skin has bonded you to me, for eternity. All my love forever, Edward xx.

Looking to where he stood, legs crossed casually as he leaned back on the edge of the sofa, I tipped the contents of the pouch out into the palm of my hand and gasped loudly. It was a black stone, as black as night, blacker even than his eyes when they are filled with lust. It was heavy too. "It's gorgeous Edward." I whispered as I joined the clasp, using my fingernails, and added it to my bracelet. "I love it." I added as he came to stand by me.

He lifted my wrist and inspected the bracelet, twisting it around and around to see each charm in it's intended place around the links.

'_It's as black as your tattoo my love.' _He let my wrist go and bought his lips to my throat, pulling me closer with one hand, the other threading through my hair and holding me still while he sucked my skin into his mouth.

I let the deep, satisfied groan escape despite the house now being filled with every member of the family. I was about to suggest we move the tattoo appreciation club meeting to the privacy of our bedroom when Carlisle called me from his study.

'_As soon as our meeting is over Isabella I will have you._' Edward thought patting my ass on the staircase as we came to Carlisle's study.

"You seem to have conquered the worst of your thirst very quickly Bella, I'm so proud of you." Carlisle said as he took his seat in the study to begin today's exam.

"Thanks dad. I feel great. I spent all afternoon at La Push and no real problems at all for me. Of course they smelled great but I can live with that."

"I've wanted to ask you about that." Edward asked from his perch on the sofa. "At the gallery I saw you sweep the room and look at each of the humans in turn. I thought you were cataloguing their scents, were you?" He asked.

"Um, no, not really. That first time Esme took me shopping, at the décor centre, I found that if I gave each of the humans around me a relationship I could resist them far better. That's weird, isn't it?" I scrunched my nose up and crinkled my eyes. They'd think I was nuts.

"How do you mean?" Carlisle asked, lacing his fingers above his desk as he usually did when some new information was going to be forthcoming.

"Aah, it's hard to explain. Okay, examples might be easier. At the Thanksgiving party, at my parents? Sam was there, but of course he smells gross to me, so he isn't a problem, but his fiancé, Emily, she smelled delicious. If I see her as a delicious human my thirst is almost unbearable, but if I see her as Sam's fiancé and someone he loves and needs, well my thirst backs off. I think my brain can see the relationship as more important than my thirst. Makes no sense, does it?" I asked gingerly.

Carlisle smiled at me widely, "It makes perfect sense."

'_My god you're amazing, I want you, right now.'_ Edward even punctuated his thought with a growl in his head!

**EPOV**

I tucked the blankets back in around Bella's beautiful body and kissed her lightly at her temple before I left the room. Alice was outside our door when I came out.

"Look after her for me." I asked and she nodded. I fled as quickly as possible down the stairs and into the waiting car before my resolve faltered. Leaving her was getting harder and harder everyday.

"Just today and tomorrow then she's with us dude, hang in there." Jasper said as we pulled into the parking lot of the high school.

"Yeah, I know." I threw my book bag onto my back and reluctantly went into the school to begin my day, minus my fiancé, again.

The day dragged like the bitch that it was. With only two text messages between us all day long I was feeling frustrated and pissed off at having to be apart from Bella all day. I was intolerant to almost everyone around me and had had to be calmed by Jasper more than once over the course of the day.

He understood my frustrations, as did Emmett and Rose, but I just wanted to be with her and could barely stand their sympathetic thoughts.

I felt as I did before she was changed. I'd build an immunity, a tolerance to her scent and the scorching pain that came with it the more time I spent with her, only for that tolerance to wither and die the longer I was without her. It was the same now. I was with her yesterday all day and then all night last night only to now acutely feel the loss of that today whilst we were forced apart.

Seth, unfortunately, was the target of my considerable frustrations although he didn't actually know that himself. I found myself staring at him all through the break mid morning and more than once Rose, Jasper and Emmett had shot me questioning looks when they'd seen me staring. I'd shrugged it off as just wanting to keep an eye on the kid, for his safety etc etc. I thought I had them convinced but Jaz caught me up between classes and asked why I'd been so openly hostile towards Seth at lunch.

I'd made an excuse, a crap one admittedly and told him that something Seth had said during the day had pissed me off but that I'd get over it. Jasper had walked away shaking his head thinking about what Seth could've said to invoke such a violent reaction from me. Then I felt ashamed and began to wonder if all I'd seen and heard from Seth's inner voice wasn't as innocent as Bella claimed it was. Maybe I was being overly protective. Maybe I was seeing things that weren't there. Maybe I was being an ass.

I couldn't get her out of my mind the whole day through. Everything I saw reminded me of her, every smell reminded me of her scent. Every touch the other children made towards another reminded me of the touch I craved from my Bella. I was becoming more and more out of control as the seconds ticked by. I knew she was safe, it wasn't about protecting her, it was about need. The raw, untamable need to be near her. To touch her, to smell her, to taste her.

We'd barely made it to our room last night before we were gasping into each other's mouths and tearing another set of perfectly good clothing off each other's bodies in our desperation. Our disagreement from the previous day forgotten as we lost ourselves in each other. Any jealousy or worry I had for the state of her relationship with Seth was forced to the back of my brain as I worshipped her beautiful body over and over again through the night.

I'd left her asleep in our bed sated and exhausted. And while that was a great feeling, knowing I'd loved her thoroughly, I didn't want to be at school and away from her for another minute.

My Biology lesson was particularly annoying for the loss of her sitting beside me today. It was the last lesson for the day and I just wanted it over with so that I could be with her, near her, soon. I was fantasizing about my impromptu foray into the forest a few days ago when I felt my cell phone vibrate in my pocket and hoped to god it was Bella.

~Roses are red, violets are blue, look for me in the parking lot, I'm coming to collect you. B + B xx~

I fucking near flipped my lid when I read it. I had to read it three more times to believe it!

I had no idea why she was coming to collect me, only that she was. I wanted to reply and ask if she had news, was she coming to share something with me, was she bringing me something but all I could think of was her perfect red lips and the sound of her as she came undone on top of me this morning. I couldn't help the groan and I quickly grimaced and hung my head when I realized that the children around me had heard me quite clearly and were now staring at me as if I had two heads.

Instead of replying to Bella I sent a text to Alice.

~Bella is coming to collect me, what have you seen? E xx~

I got a reply so swiftly I thought perhaps Alice had already seen my question and had her reply typed before reading my text.

~She's fine. I'm following her to the school then she's all yours brother dear. Speed trap at junction of High Street and McLeod Avenue. Play nice. A xx~

If Bella and I were headed past that intersection that meant we were headed out of town…towards the meadow…oh god.

I tucked my phone back into my pocket and wished away the last fifteen minutes of the class.

With the first peal of the bell I was out of my seat and through the hall going towards the parking lot at a good clip.

**BPOV**

"The bell is about to ring Bella so I'll leave you to it."

"Thanks Alice, I appreciate you coming with me, I'm fine though. Here come the first humans and I'm fine, honest." I told her.

"See you at home later on." She giggled, she obviously knew what I had planned for our afternoon.

I closed my phone and waited for my first glimpse of Edward today. I twisted my charm bracelet and smiled lovingly at the newest charm. It had arrived at midday, as usual and it was already one of my favorites.

It was a tiny gold key. Edward's note said it was the key to his happiness and his heart and that he trusted me with it implicitly. I loved the way he described each charm and what it meant to him. With only 23 days to go until the wedding I was getting more and more desperate to be Mrs Edward Cullen and he knew it.

My exam with Carlisle today had taken an unusual twist. It began with his usual questions about my weight and diet, how much I'd slept and how I was feeling generally but it had then turned slightly and we'd begun to map out the questions we wanted to ask of Nathaniel when we arrived in Italy next week.

I was mainly concerned with how he'd grown, how much of his nature was human and how much was vampire. Carlisle, on the other hand, was more interested in the physiology of the process under which he was born. I knew that Edward was concerned about the boys mother and what had happened to her, but it would be irrelevant to our situation as she had been human when the boy was born. We still needed to find a case where the mother was vampire at the time of the birth, as yet Carlisle hadn't found one. But he assured me he was still searching.

I told him, again, that I wasn't worried or scared so he went back to work at the hospital in good spirits.

My mother arrived at two o'clock for a dress fitting for the wedding so I excused myself and went to our room and got onto the internet to try and find something for Edward for a wedding present. As yet I'd had no luck either thinking of something suitable or finding something even remotely interesting. I had a mere 22 days to find it, so time was running out. If I took out the three days we'd be in Italy next week that took it down to 19 days. Shit.

I was just about to start searching wedding chat forums for ideas when Alice came up the stairs and plonked herself down in Edward's desk chair.

"Howdy sis." She was grinning from ear to ear. I knew that look, she was plotting.

"Hey." I said skeptically.

"So…yesterdays trip to the garage and then the Rez went well I hear?" She asked and I nodded proudly. "So, I thought, seeing as you're going to go to school on Friday that you should have another little practice."

"What sort of practice?"

"How about we go for a quick snack and by the time we get back it will be time for Edward's last class of the day. If we timed it right you could be waiting in the parking lot for him…" I didn't let her finish the sentence. Instead I leapt out of my chair and ran to my closet, throwing the doors open widely.

"Alice, help me find something short and slutty." She laughed so hard my ears hurt!

**EPOV**

The Lotus was parked off to the side and at the back of the parking lot, away from the other cars as much as possible. The windows were so dark I couldn't see her but I knew she was in there, waiting for me.

The mental voices of the other children, now filing down the hill towards their own cars, assaulted me as I made my way toward her.

'_That is the hottest car I've seen since Cullen bought that Aston here.'_

'_Why can't my boyfriend pick me up in a decent car like that one?'_

'_Holy shit, Bella Swan is getting out of that car!'_

' _Look at Cullen, smug bastard.'_

'_Fuck me, look at the legs on that!'_

I swung around to match the face with the voice that had spoken that last sentence but was distracted by the sight of my Bella uncurling herself from within the Elise. She was all legs in the tiniest black micro mini skirt, worse even than the one she'd worn to drive us to the cabin that day because this one was teamed with knee high black leather high heeled boots and a black halter necked top, under which her skin looked pale and luminous.

Holy fucking hell my fiancé was as hot as lava!

The only problem with that was that 99.9% of the male population, and a good portion of the female one too, thought the same thing, loudly.

Using all the concentration I could muster I made my way to her as fast as I could without causing any undue concern to the humans around us. As I came closer she stepped away from the side of the Elise and sashayed toward me, meeting me at the front of the car. She wrapped her high-heeled leg around my calf and sunk into my chest as she opened her mouth and took my lips between her teeth.

Her hands balled in the material of my t-shirt and I felt her nails drag across my skin, making me gasp in both surprise and pleasure as she deepened the kiss to almost pornographic levels.

I willed myself to back away from her slightly, not really enjoying the thoughts of those who now stood openly staring at us across the lot.

"I've missed you baby." She purred into the corner of my lips as she reached around and squeezed my ass, hard. Another involuntary groan escaped my mouth and she giggled quietly. "Get in." She growled into my ear and I shuddered from head to toe, eliciting another excited giggle from her sweet lips.

I didn't need telling twice. I threw my book bag across my seat and into the small space behind and folded myself into the passenger seat. Bella had the car started and we were away from the lot just in time for me to hear Emmett's booming mental voice wishing us a good time and not to scare any wildlife.

I looked across at Bella as she drove. Her skirt, impossibly short before was now criminally short having ridden up her thighs as she manipulated the pedals. God, those thighs wrapped around my neck…aargh.

"Dirty boy." She whispered.

"Guilty." I replied groggily, getting drunker with lust with each passing second. I ached in my jeans and all I could think of was having her, now. My fingers were tingling with the need to touch her, to just reach over and stroke that creamy white thigh.

"One touch Edward, that's all you're allowed, don't waste it." She purred.

My fingers snaked out across the console immediately. The electrical charge in my fingertips exploded across her skin as I ran a trembling finger from her knee to the hem of the skirt that was tormenting me. She sighed heavily and I pushed back the desire to bite that soft, pearly skin. I could lean over and just suckle it, take it into my mouth and taste her right now.

"Uh uh uh Edward, patience is a virtue my love." She giggled.

She slapped playfully at my hand and I reluctantly put it back into my own lap. I wanted so badly to adjust myself, relieve some of the ache the seam of my jeans was causing but that would be impossibly obvious.

With no relief in sight I settled myself back into the seat and tried to distract myself by looking out the windows to confirm my suspicions that she was taking us to the meadow. As the side streets flew away behind us I was reminded to tell her of the speed trap from Alice's vision. Bella slowed to a more safe speed as we came upon the intersection but was soon speeding back along the highway towards the turn off to our meadow. When she flicked the lever to engage the turn signal my balls clenched, she was taking us to the meadow. In broad daylight. Hot damn!

**BPOV**

It was so hard – that's what she said, grrrr Emmett was rubbing off on me more and more – to concentrate on driving while Edward was running over scenarios in his head. For some reason these short skirts made him want my thighs wrapped around his neck. I wasn't adverse to that scenario myself but when I was the one who was trying to remain teasingly in control of the situation it was bloody hard to ignore the desire that was building inside me.

Every glance he stole, every gasp he stifled, and every mental deviation he ran over in his mind made me impossibly hotter for him.

I saw, felt and heard him stiffen as I turned onto the road that would lead us to the meadow. I was breathing heavily, which was a wasted effort, but I couldn't help it. I was so desperate for his touch. By the time we came to the head of the trail and had unfurled ourselves from the car we were both panting loudly.

I took his hand and led him up the trail and out into the bright sunshine of our special place. We both stopped to admire the heart shaped testimonial of our love carved into the tree but within seconds we were clasped together and lying down amongst the last remaining wildflowers.

Not a single word was spoken as he peeled the halter top from my over heated skin. He lapped at my tattoo and I felt it raise and begin to tingle as his tongue traced the curvy line that was his name. When his teeth clenched around my aching nipple I cried his name out loudly into the surrounding forest. I clung to his shoulders, clawing at his back and his neck holding him to me tighter as he suckled me inside his warm wet mouth. I pulled his shirt off over his head and flung it away. With his beautiful skin sparkling wildly in the afternoon sun I pushed him downwards. I followed; he never took his lips from my skin.

With us both on our sides in the grass I curled my leg through his and used my thigh to push against his straining zipper. With deep groans emanating from his throat he pushed back against me, as desperate for some friction as I was.

He began searching for the zip on my skirt but I tugged his hands away and slid them, instead, up under the skirt. He gasped and sucked in a deep breath when his fingers came into contact with my wet, naked skin.

**EPOV**

Oh. My. God. She was naked under the fucking skirt!

It was maddening enough knowing what was under the skirt but now that I knew she had been bare the whole time we'd been driving I was about to explode in my pants. Oh shit, she'd come to school to collect me like that! White hot desire was spiraling out of control inside me as I stroked her slick folds. She moaned into my throat, her tongue flicking out to taste me as I whimpered and gasped along her neck and found her lips with mine.

With a flick of my thumb against her clit I slid two fingers inside her and waited for her reaction in my mouth. Her tongue drew away from mine and I felt and heard her purr into my open mouth as I seated my fingers deep inside her warmth. I curled them upwards and was again rewarded with her guttural purr in my mouth as she clenched her inner muscles around my digits. She was so slick I could feel her essence leaking out into the palm of my hand as I stroked her over and over. I wanted to taste it, wanted to lap it off my fingers and take it inside my body. She arched her back and pushed her breasts up against my chest as the first stirrings of her climax began to shake her. I clasped my free hand in her hair and held her mouth to mine, sucking down her growl of pleasure as her orgasm took her. Her muscles began to clench around my fingers and her juices flowed freely into my waiting hand. She tugged on my hair and moaned her way through the release until she was a panting, spent mess in my arms.

Withdrawing my dripping fingers I waited until she opened her eyes and was staring up at me through her lashes before I bought my hand to my mouth and drank her in. I was careful not to miss a single drop as I licked and sucked her sex off my skin. With a deep satisfied moan I returned my lips to hers and felt her tongue snake out and lick herself off my saturated lips.

Her tiny fingers immediately began tugging at the button and my fly so I raised my hips and as she pulled my jeans down I used my clean hand to pull them all the way down. My erection was almost painful I'd been hard for so long today. As soon as my boxers followed my jeans to my ankles Bella had her hand around me, tightening it as she stroked me languidly from base to tip, her thumb strumming over my head with each maddening pass.

**BPOV**

I needed him inside me **now.** He felt the same. I could hear it in his thoughts and feel it in the way that he was pulling me closer to him with every passing second.

Once he was seated deeply inside me he'd be able to hear me, I wouldn't have to break this delicious silence. With one last tight pump of his length I pushed him over onto his back and slid myself across his waist until he was at my entrance.

I watched his face as I lowered myself onto his beautiful cock. His eyes crinkled at the edges and he swore in his mind as my dripping sex swallowed him, taking him so deep inside myself it was almost painful when he began to thrust upwards with his hips.

His fingers clutched at my hips, holding me steady above him while he gathered his self-control.

The silence was never broken but our connection allowed us to communicate like nobody else ever could. I began to chant his name over and over in my mind.

His response was to chant mine as he met me thrust for thrust, his hips meeting me halfway as I took all that he could give me.

I lowered myself to him and resumed the deep kiss we'd been sharing since we'd arrived here. His tongue and lips still tasted of me and I groaned deeply as he bit down on my lip with each upward tilt of his hips.

I could feel my release building again as I plunged down onto his length relentlessly.

'_So good…so good…too good…so wet, so soft, so hot…' _he rasped out silently. His mental voice was a mass of panting guttural snarls and it made me impossibly hotter for him.

'I'm so wet for you, only you Edward…you make me so wet…so good…' I told him as I felt the first waves of my climax in the pit of my stomach. I wrestled my lips away from his and sat back to feel him as deeply as possible as I came, hard.

'_Oh yes baby…that's it…give it to me…so beautiful…so good…too good…I'm so close…I'm gonna…Bella…love you…'_ he continued to thrust upwards while my orgasm crested and fell, never slackening off his rhythm or his pace and as I heard and felt the first stirrings of his own release begin to build I crested and fell into my own, again.

We were both roaring into the vacant forest by the time both our orgasms were spent. I collapsed onto his heaving chest, still connected to him, still loving the feeling of him being nestled so deeply inside me. He began stroking my back in lazy circles as our breathing returned to some semblance of normalcy. Totally unneeded but involuntary in that moment.

'_I love you so much Bella.' _He told me and I smiled against his chest.

'I love you too Edward, totally.' I replied, pretty pleased that our mutual skills still worked even though the actual act of our intimacy had ceased. Good to know I chuckled inwardly.

'_Indeed.' _Edward replied and I chuckled out loud at that, which effectively dislodged him from within me, breaking the connection. Oh the irony!

**EPOV**

"What bought on this surprise then?" I asked her as she tugged her skirt back down over her hips and attempted to smooth out the tangles in her hair, failing miserably.

"I missed you." Was her simple answer and it made me smile.

"That's the perfect answer baby, I missed you too." I planted a soft kiss at her temple and offered her my hand to help her up from the grass. Of course I knew she didn't need my help but I offered anyway…chivalry isn't dead and all that.

I took her hand again when we made our way onto the path that would lead us back to the Elise. I stroked her fingers and rolled her engagement ring reassuringly through mine. It still amazed me how far we'd come in such a short time. And in another short time she'd be my wife, forever.

"23 days to be exact." She giggled.

"Hmmm, it still seems far too long my love." I told her, bringing her fingers to my lips once more.

She unlocked the Lotus and we both slid into our seats. The rumble of the engine was met with the pealing of Bella's cell phone in its holder in the console. She nodded towards me and I answered it while she pulled the car around and headed back out onto the highway towards home.

"Hey Alice."

"You need to be home, now. Trouble." Alice yelled and I slammed the phone shut.

Bella had already heard but I shouted, 'Home, now' anyway. Bella shot up onto the onramp and floored the Lotus for all it was worth.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35 Nesting

**BPOV**

We had assumed our usual positions around the dining room table, all except for Rose and Emmett who were yet to arrive home and join the meeting.

"What can you tell us so far?" Edward asked Alice and she scrunched up her nose. Whatever was happening was unpleasant.

"After I left you at the school I doubled back and met Rose, Em and Jaz at the corner. Jaz switched to my car and we came home, Em and Rose went off on their own. They were going to meet Sam and Paul at the garage, something about the BMW…god knows what …so they went off that way, and we came home. I couldn't see because of the wolves, you know?" She shrugged and we all nodded. "Anyway, about half an hour ago I got a call from Quil saying that he'd phased when he'd heard howling near the boundary line and had heard Sam give the order to give chase to a trio of intruders who'd gone too close to the territory boundary at the Rez."

Esme gasped as the information sank in. A trio of intruders could only mean James, Laurent and Victoria were nearby. "And what news from Rose and Emmett?" Esme asked.

"Nothing yet." Esme's shoulders slumped in fright. "But Quil said Sam gave the order to retreat a few minutes later and had told him to phone us and let us know they were on their way here. That's when I phoned you Edward." She nodded towards us.

"So we wait." Carlisle said and we all nodded in agreement. There was nothing to do but wait.

It was obvious that Alice was frustrated at not being able to see anything because of the wolf participation, I felt bad for her. It must be awful being blinded when you are so used to trusting what you can see.

It was only a few minutes before we heard them coming from the river. Not just Rose and Em either.

I stood and went to the back windows as six enormous wolves bounded across the lawn flanked by Rose and Emmett. They were all whooping and hollering as they ran. I watched as the wolves veered into the trees that bordered the yard, only to emerge as humans, complete with jean cut offs, at thirty second intervals.

Six different colored wolves went in, six different humans emerged.

"Amazing isn't it love?" Edward said as he snaked his arm around my waist.

"Yeah." I gasped.

"I forget you've not seen it before." He whispered into my neck.

"Yeah, I was kinda indisposed last time huh?" I shrugged. I felt him stiffen and cringed as he played the memory of me slipping to the ground through Jacob's hands in his mind.

**EPOV**

She was trembling slightly as we stood watching the wolves come across the yard. They did look frightening I suppose, if you didn't know they were friends, not foes.

Sam was first to emerge in his human form followed by Paul, Embry, Leah, Jared then Seth last of all. I was pleased to see he'd been taken along during the skirmish, he was becoming a pack member and a man.

Rose and Emmett burst in through the backdoor first and then called for the pack to follow them into the dining room for the demob. Six hesitant but not unfriendly mental voices joined our family as they came into our home.

Sam made his way to where I stood beside Bella at the back of the room, pausing only to shake Carlisle's hand, he held his fist for me to bump and I did so without hesitation. "Edward, Bella." He said, then he nodded to Bella and she smiled and nodded in return.

Seth came to stand beside Bella and they passed a few seconds with a slight hug before the four other pack members tentatively took places at the table when Carlisle asked them to please make themselves at home.

The mental voices around me were all either worried or wired. The worried thoughts came from those who had not been privy to the chase, the wired ones were from the chase givers.

Carlisle cleared his throat and all the room instinctively knew the meeting had begun.

**BPOV**

Seth was trembling slightly beside me, his hand in mine. If Edward knew of this fact he gave nothing away in his mind, his usual jealous tendencies were well hidden from me today as he took in the sight around the table. Wolves and humans alike, all together with a common goal.

"Sam, would you like to tell us what happened today?" Carlisle offered and Sam took a small step forward, back towards the table and began his tale.

"The fuel injectors cam on the BMW needed adjusting so the three of us, Rose Emmett and I took it out for a test run once the work was done. With the top down we each smelled the vampires before we saw them as they emerged out of the trees near the boundary line to the Rez." He looked towards where Rose and Emmett sat and all three shared a nod before he continued. "We pulled to the side of the road a few hundred feet away and I immediately phased." He retold the story as if it were a military operation, a soldier returning to his General with news from the battlefront. He even had his hands clasped behind his back, his feet and shoulders squared away as he continued, "I howled into the surrounding forest to get the attention of my pack. When I heard Quil's reply – he was at the garage – I told him to contact you all here and to alert Jared at the Rez to ready the others to defend if necessary. Rose and Emmett approached the vampires whilst I held off near the cover of the trees. There was no need to alert them to my presence, I am not sure if they know of the existence of the pack at this time. If they do they said nothing. Rose, Emmett?" He asked and Emmett stood.

"The black one, Laurent, spoke for the trio. He introduced himself and the other two, James and his mate Victoria. We didn't bother announcing who we were, and they didn't ask. I asked how long and why they were in the area and the blonde, James, laughed. The girl said they were there for the shopping opportunities, which was bloody weird. When the black one shushed her she snarled, so I took to my crouch. They copied and before I knew it they were running. The chick is really, really fast dude." Emmett shot to Edward who immediately began to relish a race. I groaned and squeezed his hand.

'_Sorry love, I like a race. Can't help it.' _He told me silently, with a grimace.

Sam took over the retelling duties again from that point. "I began to give chase. I instructed my pack to meet Rosalie and Emmett where they regrouped and to split into two groups. One group would take Rose to the West, one would go with Emmett to the East along the line. We'd meet back at the entrance to the Rez if the trio disbanded or was seen off. I followed them for a few miles before they took to the water. I doubled back and met up as we'd agreed." He finished his recount by asking Rose and Emmett for their reports from their groups.

Rose stood, "There was a feint scent along the western border but it was perhaps three days old. We ran to the waters edge then doubled back. We found nothing."

"Same for us," Emmett said, getting to his feet again and nodding towards the wolves that had gone with him in his group. "Not a thing the whole way. Chicken shit's getting into the water though, eh?" He looked to Paul who nodded his agreement and bumped fists with Emmett.

I bent towards Seth and asked which group he'd run with. He smiled and whispered that he'd gone with Rose and that she was bloody scary. I giggled but shut up fast when Edward tugged on my hand and I looked around the table to where ten sets of eyes were boring into me. Oops.

**EPOV**

Giggling at a time like this was highly inappropriate. I'd tugged on her hand so I knew she knew to stop.

"Sorry." She mumbled and went to sit back in her usual chair. I stayed standing by Sam but Seth went to sit in my chair by Bella. I ignored it, sort of.

"They were there to take advantage of the shopping opportunities?" Carlisle asked skeptically.

"That's what she said, right Rosie?" Emmett asked and Rose nodded.

"What does that mean?" Sam asked.

"We know they are here for the baby Carlisle, so no matter how they've spelled it out they are here for that purpose only." I hissed and everyone around the table began to silently plan how they'd protect Bella if and when the time came to do just that. I was grateful for it too. This was a large group, she'd come to no harm with us all guarding her.

"Right, well. If that is still their aim they are going to be sorely disappointed then, aren't they?" Carlisle asked around the table to a cacophony of agreements in various forms. "Thank you Sam, and your pack, for all you've done today. It is much appreciated. Can we agree to remain vigilant in the area? Bella, I think it's still a good idea that you remain with either Edward or Alice at all times. With no real immediate threat I say we adjourn and meet again if the need arises."

"Agreed. Thank you for your hospitality Carlisle, we'll head back to the Rez and demob the rest of the pack. We will inform the tribunal of elders of the resent developments. Take care Bella, Edward I'll see you on Sunday." I nodded and shook his hand.

Seth began wondering if he'd see Bella on Sunday and began to form the plans to keep her amused at the Rez if that was the case. I'd not mentioned to Bella about the cliff jumping so I knew she would be asking as soon as the pack was gone what my plans were with Sam for Sunday. I watched as Seth kissed Bella lightly on the check and then listened as the wolves wished us all luck and left via the back door. Phasing again in the tree cover then racing towards the river.

My brothers and sisters began excusing themselves as the twilight descended around us. Carlisle and Esme wished us a pleasant evening and began their ascent to their suite. Bella and I stood in front of the windows for a while longer, her watching the wolves as they flung themselves into the river and emerged soaking wet on the other side before racing for the cover of the trees again.

"They are amazing." She whispered and I agreed again. "They are so bloody huge. Even Seth and he's the youngest. If I wasn't a vampire I'd have peed my pants!" She giggled.

"I am a vampire and I think the first time I saw them for myself I just about peed too." I admitted with a chuckle. A further half dozen chuckles floated down the stairs and I groaned. No fucking privacy in this house!

Bella slapped my arm, having read me, and I laughed again. I took her hand in mine and we began the walk up the stairs to our room. "What a day huh?" She asked as we got to the door.

"Yeah." I agreed. It had a bit of everything. Despondency at having to leave her, yet again, to go to school. Then the loneliness of classes that was only exacerbated by having to watch other couples during our breaks. The worry that went with having to leave Bella at the house while I went off in the other direction and then to top it off the almost blinding euphoria of being collected by her and then led astray so thoroughly in the meadow.

"Hey! I didn't lead you astray…you went along of your own volition dirty boy. I don't recall you saying wait or stop…" she giggled so sweetly I felt my dick twitch in my jeans, again.

God, would I ever ease this ache I felt for her?

"I hope not." She purred into my ear, taking the lobe between her teeth and suckling it slowly.

I moaned as her teeth clamped down on my skin. I was about to push her towards the stairs when her cell phone beeped. Damn! I looked at the clock on the wall and realized she was due online with her parents right about now and I had buckley's chance of doing what I wanted to do to her now.

"Sorry baby…take a reincheck?" she asked, kissing me once more at the corner of my mouth before she skipped off to our room.

**BPOV**

"Ten minutes of chores then we hit the online stores yes?" Esme asked with a glint in her eye.

"Sure. Go!" I called as Alice and I raced up the stairs, Alice going left at the second floor landing and me continuing up one more flight to our room.

I had the bed stripped and remade, our clean clothes put away and the hamper of our dirty clothes ready to take downstairs within the first five minutes. I gave the bathroom a quick going over and then I grabbed my wallet and laptop off the desk before slinging the hamper with me as I fled back down the stairs.

I had been eight minutes, tops, and was pleased to see that I'd made it back into the dining room before either of the other two had come downstairs with their dirty laundry today. It was a new personal best for me.

Today was Thursday so I knew Esme would be expecting a delivery of fresh flowers, so I began to remove the old ones from their vase on the dining room table while I waited for them to join me. I polished the sideboard and took the dirty vase to the sink to soak. I collected a clean one from the overhead cupboard in the kitchen and set it on the table ready to receive its blooms later today.

While I was looking forward to having a home of my own to potter around in I was starting to understand Edward's reluctance to be too far from his family. I felt a little sad that in three short weeks we'd be living, for the bulk of our time at first, in the cottage. Even though it was only a few miles through the forest it would seem a long way away from the comfort I found in this house everyday.

I wasn't sure how I'd feel being away from them all once the baby was born either. I had no idea how to care for an infant, even one that was likely to grow at a different rate than a human baby. I know that nobody in this house did either, but surely between us all we'd work it out?

As I opened my laptop and waited for it to boot I decided that once the baby was born we'd spend as much time here as we could, only going back to the cottage at night when the others retired to their rooms.

Alice came bounding down the stairs first this morning. Instead of heading for the laundry room she ran straight to where I sat at the dining room table and flung her arms around my shoulders and showered me with kisses.

"What are you on woman?" I squealed as she hugged me tighter.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." She trilled.

"What for?" I asked, pushing her away so that I could at least sit properly on the chair again.

"For wanting to spend your days here with us after the baby comes, of course." She said it so matter of factly it was a few seconds before I worked out that she'd just seen my decision in a vision.

"You're welcome." I said a little tentatively.

"We've been worried what your plans were, that's all. Everyone wants you all close, of course, but we were all worried that you'd want to go off to the cottage and play happy families without us, sort of normal like." She crinkled her nose up prettily at the thought of Edward and I being normal. I had to laugh, it was such a strange concept.

**EPOV**

"Bella sure did look good yesterday man." Ben told me as we went into our first class of the day.

"Yeah, she's heaps better." I agreed, knowing full well he wasn't talking about whether or not she'd recovered from her recent illness.

I'd had to work hard since we'd arrived just now to block out the mental voices of those who'd seen her collect me yesterday. Most were complimentary and that was the problem, most were overly complimentary. Some were positively revolting in their appraisal of my fiancés 'wellness'.

The boy who sat in front of Ben and I leaned back and asked what the car had been.

"Lotus Elise." I mumbled hoping he'd let the rest of his questions go. No such luck.

"You buy her that then?" He asked grinning and wondering if that had been part of the deal I'd struck with her, if she married me I'd buy her whatever she desired. Imbecile.

"No, she bought it herself. Cash." I added for good measure. I watched as his face paled. He turned back to face the front of the desk and began to wonder why someone with money like Bella obviously had had bothered to drive the old rusty truck before.

Newton sat behind me in this class and I could feel his eyes boring a hole in the back of my head. He was forming questions of his own, none of which he had the balls to actually ask me. I stifled a chuckle at that. At least my last 'talk' with him had registered and had had the desired effect. I noticed with more mirth that he was referring to her as Isabella in his head, he's a quick study, sometimes.

"When can she come back to school?" Tyler leaned on the back two legs of his chair and tapped my desk as he asked.

"She'll be here tomorrow." I said gruffly. Tyler immediately began to run through scenarios in his mind as to how he could manufacture a reason to need to speak to her. Fantastic.

By the time I made it to the quad for our morning break the whole student body was buzzing with the news that Bella was going to be attending our last day of term tomorrow. I should've known better than to open my big mouth.

Jasper came to stand by me, his open soda can in his hand, and I felt all the tension seep out of my body.

"Thanks man." I said and he grinned. "I should've kept my mouth shut, this is torture." I scanned the quad searching for someone, anyone, who wasn't thinking or talking about my Bella.

My eyes found Seth and I steadied myself so that I could hear his conversation. He was sitting next to Chloe, who was peeling an orange and putting every second segment into Seth's mouth as he talked to the larger group. It was a very sweet thing to see. Chloe was thinking about the dance at our house tomorrow night and wondering if Seth would try to kiss her. She wanted that, desperately.

Seth, however, was talking to three boys about taking me cliff diving on Sunday. The other boys were in awe, not because Seth was stupid enough to go cliff diving, but because he was going to be going with me.

I chuckled and Jasper asked me to share the joke.

I leaned slightly towards him and explained. "Normally being associated with the Cullen freaks is bad social juju, it seems our friend Seth is making good on it though." I nodded towards Seth's group and Jasper turned to watch, just as the three boys Seth had been talking to turned to look towards where Jasper and I stood. Seth waved and I returned his wave. The three boys immediately began to tell Seth how lucky he was to have friends like the Cullen's. That time even Jasper laughed.

"Where's Em?" I asked. I'd not seen him since we'd arrived this morning. That wasn't unusual, he sometimes skipped off to hunt during the morning lessons if he'd not gotten away overnight.

"Um, he and Rosie took off for a spot of…yeah…they took off first lesson. He said they'd be back by lunch." Jasper chuckled and I grimaced.

"Half his luck." I replied and Jasper startled. "What?" I asked.

"Dude, you've changed." Was all he said as he wandered off towards his class as the bell rang.

**BPOV**

"I'll do you a deal Alice, if it's a girl you can buy her a Fairy Princess castle bed when she graduates from a crib, if she _wants_ one. Same goes for the Ferrari bed if it's a boy. But you can't buy them now 'just in case'" I sighed.

"Fine, I'll bookmark the page and come back to it later." She huffed and did just that.

"Your flowers are lovely today Esme" I said, looking at the tall vase on the table. "What are those called?" I pointed to the elegant white stems.

"Calla lillies. They simply mean beauty. I love them, even in the plain white." She touched the petal on one of the stems and gave me a wistful look. "Yours are stunning today too, he's very thoughtful isn't he?"

I nodded. "He is. I didn't know flowers had meanings. What do mine mean then?"

"Oh yes, all flowers have a significant meaning dear. Those tiny white blooms there are called Arbutus flowers. The traditional meaning that goes with those is 'Thee only do I love'. Which is rather sweet. They go hand in hand with the ivy in amongst the arrangement because it means fidelity, affection. I know that the zinnias, those are the bigger blooms, the red ones mean constancy and I think the yellow mean daily remembrance. So if you put it all together he's trying to tell you that he loves only you and that he thinks of it daily, always." She sighed happily.

"Wow, he did spend a lot of years reading huh?" I giggled. "What about the tiny yellow flowers there Esme?" I asked, running a fingernail over the tiny petal.

"Ahh, that's Forsythia." She giggled. "They symbolize anticipation."

"Oh." Was all I could say. Dirty boy. I pulled out my cell phone and began to compose my thank you message.

I smelled the human as Esme and Alice did. "Delivery van." I shouted and all three of us jumped up to see what today's charm was going to be.

**EPOV**

Lunch today was going to be horrific if this class was any indication of the mental storm brewing in my year level.

Every single mind in this room was thinking about one thing. Bella Swan was coming to school tomorrow and that she was now my fiancé, not just my girlfriend. Every single mind had formed a set of questions they wanted to ask of her, of us. Every single mind was thinking up elaborate ways to wangle the opportunity to ask.

My cell phone beeped its announcement of a message and I relished the thought of escaping the thoughts around me, if only for a second.

~Thank you so much for the flowers, they are beautiful. Anticipation? Love you, B + B xx~

Aah, my bouquet had been delivered already, good. I was glad that she liked them. I adored sending her things during the day. I liked knowing she had something I'd picked for her specially to keep her amused, and company, when we had to be apart. I was more amused that she knew what the individual flowers symbolized but figured that Esme would've had a hand in that particular lesson.

I stealthily composed my return message and hit send.

~You are most welcome. I anticipate a lifetime of being so thoroughly led astray ;) When can I collect my reincheck? Love you, eternally, E xx ~

I closed the phone and settled it back into my jeans pocket and prepared myself for the lunchroom assault.

I'd only just settled in my seat when I heard Rosie yelling for me from somewhere in the school grounds. I shot a look at Jasper who immediately knew that something was up. I stood, trying desperately to appear human in my haste, and left via the administration block hallway.

I heard Jasper making his excuses to the others at our table and within seconds he was following me out to the tree line that backed the gym.

We found Rose there, crouched by the side of a fallen log, terror in her eyes.

"Where's Em?" I asked as Jasper and I approached.

"They've got a nest about three miles north of here. He's stayed there to wait for you guys. Hurry, he's on his own." She was terrified and panting heavily despite not being tired or needing to breath. Jasper recognized it as fear from the emotions washing over him and I saw it in her mind. Three against one were never good odds, even for a vampire as big and strong as Emmett.

We wasted no time retracing her steps and as we approached the three mile mark she slowed and pointed to the run down building that stood a few hundred meters to our right and then again to where Emmett was crouched near a tall stack of cut firewood. We approached with caution, advancing on a crouched vampire, even one that was ones own brother, was always fraught with danger.

He knew it was us though from our scent but he never once physically shifted from his defensive stance as we came upon him from a slight angle to his left. '_Fuckers aren't here but I don't want to risk setting my scent on the place.'_ He told me mentally and I put a hand on his shoulder to let him know I'd heard.

His eyes never once left the shack even though he was mentally taking stock of the fact that Rose had returned to his side safely and that she'd bought both Jasper and myself along.

"If they aren't here now they soon will be, we need to leave." I whispered to my siblings and they all nodded their agreement. It would do no good us being found or caught here. We now knew where the group was holing up; this would be a significant boon to our plans in future. But for now we did not want the trio to know we'd been there. We backed along the same trail we'd approached from and were soon back on school grounds.

We straightened our clothes and made sure there were no children left outside before we strolled across the lawn as if nothing had ever happened. To anyone else we'd have looked like naughty school children returning from a sneaky cigarette break at the very least.

As we approached the picnic tables we each took our cell phones out and began phoning, simultaneously.

Jasper phoned Alice to inform her of the details of what had just occurred.

Emmett phoned Sam, Rose phoned Carlisle and I phoned Bella.

"Baby, we've found their nest. We're coming home. Stay inside the house and don't leave, please. Stay with Alice close by. Love you, see you soon." As I closed my phone the others closed theirs, their conversations having similar overtones of assurance and information to stay safe until we were all together again.

With a slight nod we headed for Rosalie's car and were soon heading towards home.

**BPOV**

I was expecting a tiny brown paper wrapped parcel, as usual, so I got quite the shock when the delivery van pulled up and began unloading sound equipment and a large old-fashioned jukebox. The small brown paper wrapped parcel was duly handed over to me but only after another half dozen boxes of decorations and a karaoke machine was produced from the cavernous truck.

Alice was bouncing from foot to foot as she inspected the jukebox but I couldn't for the life of me work out what it was for.

"What gives?" I asked, confused.

"Tomorrow night's dance silly. We'll need music." She answered like it was the most obvious of answers.

"Right. And what's wrong with the thousands of dollars worth of stereo equipment already in this house then?" I asked and Esme snorted her laughter from the kitchen.

"You have so much to learn about throwing a party Bella." Alice retorted, throwing an exasperated look towards where Esme now stood at the door to the living room. "A stereo is fine if you just want to listen to music, but I'm hosting a dance. That means mood lighting, a dance floor, the correct music and creating something of an ambience. If we just wanted music fine, but this stuff with create a dance. Trust me." And with that she picked the jukebox up like it was made of matchsticks and took it out through the backdoors onto the decking. Within minutes the first strains of disco music began to float into the house.

Fantastic I thought to myself as I took my little parcel with me to the sofa. Esme came to stand behind me as I unwrapped it. This was becoming something of a ritual for us. I loved the daily charms and the insight into Edward's character while Esme admitted she enjoyed watching the tangible evidence of our love for one another bloom before her eyes with each gift he bestowed on me.

I giggled a little when today's black satin pouch produced a perfect replica of a chicken's wishbone in solid gold.

I looked to Esme as I unfolded the accompanying lilac page and she smiled, ready for me to begin the recital. "Dearest Isabella, All I have ever wanted for my one true love was for all her hopes and wishes to come true. Accept this in good faith and know that I will endeavor to make them all come true for you my love. In 22 days all of mine will, also. All my love for eternity, Edward xx"

I slipped the loop shut on the charm and Esme leaned over the back of the sofa to watch as I twirled the bracelet around and around my wrist.

"It's lovely dear, really coming along now." She smiled indulgently.

I was about to excuse myself to send Edward a text telling him how much I loved today's charm when my cell phone actually rang. As did Alice's. My stomach clenched in tension at the coincidence.

"Hello…" I said, as did Alice.

"What do you see Alice?" I asked, frightened. Edward had sounded so frightened on the phone, he was panicked and if things were scary enough for Edward to be panicked things were very grave indeed. Alice' answer didn't help steady me.

"Not a lot. I don't have the scent or an image of James or Victoria, so I can't see what they are planning to do. Laurent is only a scent for me, so far, so it's almost impossible to track what he is up to. But I will find out, so don't worry." She patted my hand but looked pained as she delved into her mind to try and find some sort of answer for me.

Esme sank into the sofa beside me and began stroking my hair. My anxiety was growing by the minute. I needed Edward, now. One look at his face would tell me what I needed to know, if he was scared …well…

"Carlisle is on his way home and the others will be here in a few minutes, so lets just wait to see what they have to say before we panic, okay?" Esme said this is such a soft, soothing voice I almost began to believe that I was safe.

And then I remembered.

Not only were they coming for my baby and I but they'd set up home in the forest, near the school, to lie in wait.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36 Possession

**EPOV**

In my haste to get to Bella I flung the door of Rose's car so hard I heard the glass shatter. I shot her an apologetic look as I flew up the stairs but she waved her hand and told me not to worry about it. Her response stunned me momentarily as I stood with the front door knob in my hand but I quickly refocused and crashed through the door hell bent on finding Bella.

She sat between Alice and Esme on the sofa in the living room. She took a long, hard look at my face and as I ran towards her she rose off the seat and threw herself into my waiting arms.

I showered her face with tiny kisses and murmured that everything, and everyone, was all right. That we'd protect her and the baby at all costs and that she was safe here with us.

She trembled so hard I thought she was going to collapse. I held her tightly to me and rocked her back and forth and waited while her sobbing abated and her shivers became deep breaths as she steadied herself against me.

I heard Carlisle's car in the drive and knew he'd want to adjourn to the dining room to learn what we knew. I pulled myself away from Bella slightly and asked if she was up to having the meeting? She said of course she was and took my hand and moved with me to our regular chairs at the far end of the table.

The others filed in around us and Carlisle came into the room last of all and sat in his chair, begging us to tell him what had happened today.

Emmett told him and those who had been at home today what he'd seen in the forest and where and so began the meeting.

"Do you think it's a coincidence that they've set up home midway between the school and the Rez?" Bella asked Alice. It seemed like an errant thought until Alice ran the repercussions through her head. I looked to Bella, astounded at the machinations of her brain.

"No, now that you've said it that way I don't think it's a coincidence. They know I can't see them when they are near wolves. Seth at the school, the pack at the Rez. They picked there on purpose. Oh god." Alice hung her head.

"No matter Alice, we know they're there, the wolves know they're there. We'll all watch." Rose told her. Everyone's thoughts were the same though. If Alice was going to be blind to their movements it would be that much harder to protect Bella.

Carlisle told us all to be extra vigilant in that part of the forest and to take particular care at the school. With only one more day of term before a four week break he hoped this situation would remedy itself before the new term began in January. I knew that was a futile wish but wished it myself also.

"They won't be leaving the area Carlisle. They are going to wait us, me, out." Bella said sadly.

"More than likely yes. Which is all the more reason that we deliver that little bundle safely, isn't it?" He smiled at her and she relaxed a little beside me.

**BPOV**

I didn't know where to go from here. I didn't want to sit and wait for the problem to come to us as we had with Jacob but wasn't anywhere near ready to fight either. My change had only been just over a month ago and while I was strong and physically able to fight for my baby I doubted I'd have the mental capacity to rein my anger in when the time came. I'd either crumple or hurt a loved one. Jasper had told me all about the newborn wars of the South and I cringed when I thought about the sort of damage I could reek if my self control was tested like that so soon after transforming.

"Edward, why did you call where they are living a nest?" It was such a strange thing to call a house, it struck me as significant for some reason.

"Well, vampires are usually pretty solitary. They either travel alone or only occasionally meet others or they travel with a mate and that's all. That is true for 'traditionalists' anyway. Because they feed in a traditional way they are often very volatile, territorial so to speak. Fighting amongst small groups is very normal. They have poor self-control when it comes to the hunt. So when a group forms like this trio they tend to live in a nest. Not a home. A nest is only a place they can shelter in between feeding. They harbor no possessions other than those they can carry and they keep no routines. They feed, they indulge in whatever pleasure they crave and they mate. That's all. Vegetarians tend to be more civilized, mostly." His eyebrow shot up and I stifled the giggle I could feel rising as I thought about how uncivilized we'd been together recently.

I thought about his answer and mulled over living that sort of existence. I could see that my decisions may have been very different if it was that kind of eternity I was faced with. More questions were forming and I blurted the next one out without thinking too much about it.

"Carlisle, why haven't James and Victoria changed a child?" I asked. I knew it was the wrong thing to say when I heard the collective gasps around me. I looked around the table at the stark faces and said I was sorry for asking.

"No Bella, you have every right to ask questions. This is a sensitive subject though. There is a law, albeit an unwritten one, that no vampire **ever** change a child. Ever. The repercussions would be swift and unrelenting within the vampire community. It has been done before, of course, centuries ago. It was mostly attempted to prove one way or another if the child would continue to grow to its full adult potential before becoming unchanging, as we are. The attempts were horrific. The child either did not survive the change or it died soon after, by its own hand or another vampire who took pity on it. The maker, or sire, was often found and disposed of as being the monster it was. It hasn't been attempted for many, many years and I hope it never is." Carlisle sighed at the end of his speech and I looked around the table again at the agonized faces before me.

I mouthed 'sorry' to Rose and she nodded and looked back down at the table in front of her. I couldn't meet Esme's eyes at all, knowing the agony I'd see there.

"Okay, let's get back on track shall we?" Carlisle asked and there was a round of agreement before he continued. "I've asked around, a few old friends have heard of our trio. Their reputations precede them I'm afraid. You were right Edward, Laurent's particular gift is that he is able to unravel relationships between people and their relatives or covens. I'm afraid that leaves us with several very serious problems. One, Charlie and Renee. If you are seen near them or with them Laurent will be able to discern that they are your parents and this may mark them as extortable Bella. We will need to discuss and decide, with them, what to do about that. Two, our relationships with the humans at the Rez. For similar reasons. And three, Seth Clearwater. He is vulnerable at the school and as he comes and goes from the Rez. These are things we'll have to speak with Sam about Edward."

**EPOV**

"I agree Carlisle. I'll go again to the Rez tonight and speak with Sam about Seth and the safety of the humans there."

"Excellent." Carlisle agreed.

"I need to go to my parents and explain this to them. Will you go with me Alice, Carlisle?" Bella asked and I wondered why she wouldn't ask me to go with her? She blinked rapidly and then turned towards me. "You need to go to the Rez Edward, keep Seth and the others safe. Carlisle and Alice will go with me to Charlie and I'll sort that out. That's all love." She told me and I smiled and kissed her fingers in response. She needed me to protect Seth for her, I understood that. I could do that for her.

"Of course we'll go with you Bella." Alice chirped from across the table. Her mind was filled with apprehension about Bella needing to speak to her mother about an upsetting aspect of todays mail delivery? What the hell?

"Alice?" I asked, knowing she'd work out what I just saw in her mind.

"Not now Edward." She winced. "Later, okay?" She asked and I nodded minutely.

"Right, well. If we are all agreed to be careful we can call this meeting to an end. Bella, do you feel up to an exam?" Carlisle asked and Bella nodded. "Good. I'll be in my study when you're ready. I'll see the rest of you later this evening I'm sure." With that he was gone up the stairs to his study with Esme in tow.

The six of us sat quietly at the table for a few more minutes. I could hear the worry in their minds as they thought about Bella being at the school tomorrow and so close to the nest. It occurred to me that she'd be in no real danger, and it was easily proven how I knew this.

"Guys, enough with the moping yeah?" I began. When I had their attention I continued. "Bella really wants to come to school tomorrow and I know we'll be able to protect her from whatever happens inside the school grounds. I'm pretty sure nothing will happen with our trio of 'friends' either. They don't want Bella per se, they want the baby. Which is far from being ready to survive outside of Bella's' body yet, so there is no immediate danger, is there?" I asked, hoping they'd see the logic in that argument.

They did.

"Yeah, you're right dude." Emmett agreed first. "You sure you want to put up with the humans tomorrow sissy?"

"I can't wait Em, really." Bella replied and soon all the thoughts at the table were of how to make Bella's day a good one, one she'd never forget. It may well be the last one she has at Forks High School.

"Right, Bella is there anything I should know before you go for your exam?" I asked, eager to get to the Rez to speak with the pack.

"Nope, I'm all good. You go Edward." She said and I bent to kiss her lightly. I ran my hand over her belly, acknowledging the slight difference to her baby bump and then I told the table I'd see them all later tonight.

**BPOV**

"What did you see Alice?" I asked, not letting her off the hook from earlier. I'd seen Edward stiffen and I'd seen in his thoughts that he'd have to corner Alice and make her explain what she'd seen.

"Okay, I'll spill, but I don't want you upset about it, okay?" Alice pled. She went to the kitchen and returned with a wad of cream-colored envelopes. She put them on the table between us. "Wedding rsvp's Bella." She giggled as she flung some of them across to me, keeping the others for herself.

Rose chuckled and moved her seat closer to Alice' and grabbed a handful for herself too.

I couldn't help the tiny flutter of excitement as I opened the first one. It was from Sue and Harry Clearwater and they were 'delighted to attend'.

"Put the yeses in that pile, the no's – ingrates - in that pile." She nodded toward the table and I put the cream card into the correct pile.

The next one I opened was from Angela Webber, another acceptance. I couldn't wait to see Angela tomorrow.

I got three more acceptances, one from Sam and Emily, one from Ben and one from my cousin Tina who lived in Seattle. I put the three cards into the acceptance pile and then I noticed the one single inability card that Alice had put in a pile on it's own. I frowned and picked it up. Alice was out of her seat and beside me, tearing it out of my hand before I had a chance to see it.

"What the fu…" was all I got out before Alice was hugging me tightly.

"Don't take it personally Bella. He's an ass." She said gruffly.

I pulled away from her and held out my hand for her to put the card in my palm. She grimaced but did so anyway. I turned it over and saw that it was from Phil. I was surprised at the wave of sadness that overcame me as I read his handwriting. '_I will not be attending.' _Was all he'd written on the shiny little card? Not 'I am unable to attend', not 'I wish the happy couple well but am disappointed not to be able to share their special day', but _'I will not be attending.'_

"He's an ass." I agreed and put the card back onto the table with a resounding slap.

Alice said nothing further and returned to opening her little pile of envelopes.

"I should tell my mother." I whispered and felt Alice sigh beside me.

"Yeah, you probably should. Sorry Bell's." She patted my hand. I knew this was what Edward had seen in Alice' vision before. Me telling my mother about Phil's wedding reply.

"You up for a little parental visitation tonight too Rose?" I asked, wanting to include her. To my surprise she said she'd love to.

I reached for my cell phone to tell my parents we would be coming over tonight.

"More vampires here? In Forks?" My dad's face went as white as…well, as white as a Cullen if I was honest. I tried hard not to think about the rush of blood that had just left his face. I'd hunted this morning and again just now before we'd come here, but thinking about blood just wasn't safe for me just yet. I blinked hard and concentrated on the conversation I had to have.

"Yeah dad. Three of them, traveling together. Edward and I met one of them on Saturday night and Rose and Emmett and Sam have met the three of them since then. They aren't here to make friends dad."

"You should prepare yourself to see some pretty ugly things around here, they aren't vegetarians like us." Carlisle went on to explain. He was holding my hand and I felt him give it a gentle squeeze when Charlie began to realize what we were telling him.

I felt awful having to make them aware of what vampires were capable of. I watched sadly as my mothers eyes grew wide at the implications of what we'd just said sunk in.

"If they aren't friendly why are they here?" Charlie asked. It was a fair question and one I knew the pack had asked a few days ago also.

Edward had recalled for me his and Carlisle's talk with the tribunal on Sunday morning and now I knew how he must have felt, having to admit why these three monsters were here. I didn't want to admit it to myself let alone tell my parents. I looked to Alice and Rose in turn but they both nodded firmly at me, telling me that I must tell the truth. I took a deep unneeded breath and began my sorry tale.

"Bella will need to stay away from this house for the time being." Carlisle told my parents and they both cringed. I felt so bad for them, first they thought I was going to die then they get me back – albeit the new and improved version of me and all it entailed – now they are told I can't visit them anymore. They'd crack soon, like Phil did, I thought dismally.

"Oh." My mother said sadly as I watched the tears in her eyes begin to well.

"Don't cry mom, please." I whispered. I went to where she sat in the recliner and I perched myself on the edge of the arm, wrapping an arm lightly around her shoulders. My thirst burst forth in my throat and in my brain but it was easy to fight because she was my mom and I loved her. "What Carlisle means is that one of the bad guys can spot relationships, he knew I was Edward's mate the second he laid eyes on us, so if he sees me here he'll know you're my mom and dad and that would make you both targets. So for now you'll come visit me instead. See, no biggie." I tried to make light of it but the truth of what I was saying was beginning to dawn on my father, the cop.

"Ok Bell's, we'll visit you, no biggie kiddo." My dad said solemnly.

**EPOV**

"I think it's safe if we go as wolves. Showing up near there will leave a human scent but they wont have any idea that wolves exist, let alone ones that are shape shifters. Will they?" Sam asked me.

"I don't think so, no. Vampires are traditionally wary of wolves anyway, especially if they were to believe you were werewolves. So going as wolves is good, they'll know your something, but not what." I answered honestly.

"So, we go as wolves. Three miles north west of the administration block at the school. You good with finding that for us Seth?" He asked and Seth nodded proudly. "Good. We'll go tonight, once it's dark enough."

"I will leave the rest of the details to you Sam. Please tell the tribunal that we are very sorry for all of this, we never meant for anyone at the Rez to be put in any danger." I hung my head as I said it, I didn't want anyone here to be put in any dangerous position. They were my friends, Bella's friends.

"Of course. The tribunal will see that. I will call you tomorrow once I've met with the elders and I'll see you on Sunday and I can let you know of any other information we get in the meantime. We are able to protect the Reservation Edward, so don't feel guilty for your association with us. We are proud to know the Cullen's and to call them friend." He shook my hand and Seth was again given the job of escorting me to the boundary.

"Is Bella really coming to school tomorrow?" Seth asked, wide eyed.

"She sure is."

"Cool." He grinned and I knew how much he was looking forward to being greeted by Bella personally. It would do his social credibility wonders, not that he needed it, little punk!

"See you tomorrow Seth." I told him as I backed the Guardian out of the lot and headed for Charlie's.

Renee met me at the kitchen door and solemnly ushered me into the house. Her mental thoughts were all adrift as she tried to come to terms with all Carlisle and Bella had told her tonight. I felt so bad that both she and Charlie were back in this position, fearing for Bella's safety. I felt as though I'd failed them, yet again. I'd promised to keep her safe before and had let them down, now we were back where we started it seemed.

Bella rushed to my side and I hugged her tightly to my chest, kissing her hair and mentally telling her I loved her and how very sorry I was that she was once again in this position.

"Hush Edward." She whispered as she returned my kiss chastely. "Come and sit down for a bit." She patted the seat beside her on the small love seat and I said hello to my family and Charlie as I took the offered spot.

I made sure to check Bella's control by holding her hand tightly in mine and assessing the number of times she reached for her throat or held her breath while her parents asked Carlisle and my sisters questions about the three vampires that were living among us now. Bella never reached for her throat and she never held her breath. She was truly remarkable.

"Well fed." She whispered to me, so low that neither of her parents would hear but my family all did. They all stifled their sly smiles as I looked about the room to where they each sat in the Swan house.

Renee sat further forward in her chair and asked Bella if it was true she was going to school tomorrow.

"Yeah, I'm going to try anyway. It's the last day of term so it might be a good test." She said quite calmly.

Renee began thinking about the other children at the school and whether or not it was a good idea. "We'll all be there Renee. We won't let anything happen. We'll just bring her home if she can't handle it." I told her.

"Okay, if you're sure Edward." She didn't seem convinced and I wasn't happy that she'd aimed her questions and qualms about it at me, rather than Bella. She was a grown woman, she could decide for herself if she was able to do this. I wanted to huff, but restrained myself.

I was about to tell Renee some of what I'd been thinking when Bella stood from her seat and announced that she was tired and hungry and needed to be going home now. Alice and Rose said their goodbyes to Bella's parents and headed out the kitchen door and to Carlisle's Mercedes that stood at the curb. Carlisle shook Charlie's hand and hugged Renee lightly about her shoulders before going out to take the girls home.

I waited by the door as Bella hugged both her parents very, very briefly and made plans to talk to them both tomorrow night.

Renee hugged me lightly and Charlie shook my hand. As I was letting his hand go he stared me in the eye and said, "Just do your best son, it's all we can ask of you." I nodded but kept silent.

**BPOV**

Edward was very quiet on the drive home and even though it only took a few minutes he never once looked in my direction or acknowledged me in any way.

From his thoughts he was just running over what had been said tonight, both at the Rez and now here with my parents.

It was obvious that Edward was worried about all manner of things. About my health, my continuing thirst and my struggles with human scents. He worried about the birth of the baby and then about the baby itself. He worried about the malicious vampires who were going to try to take our happiness away and about what we'd learn in Italy. He worried that tomorrow would be too much for me and then I'd be hurt and upset at failing. But the good bulk of his thoughts concentrated on the notion that he'd let me down, again. That I still wasn't safe despite having been changed.

I couldn't tell him his worries were unfounded because I was worried about nearly all the same things. I couldn't assure him that I wasn't scared because I was. I couldn't tell him not to worry because it wouldn't work for one, and for two he _should_ be worried about me, I wasn't safe and I'd need all his strength and intelligence and possessiveness to keep me alive over the next few months.

So I settled for telling him what I could.

"Edward, darling, please pull over." I asked. He looked at me skeptically but I smiled and asked him to please pull the car over. When we were at a complete stop on the hard shoulder I pulled him to face me and took his beautiful face into the palms of my hands. "Edward, I love you so much. I can't wait to marry you and be Mrs Edward Cullen. I am dying to go to school with you tomorrow and give the bird to all those horrid idiots who doubt us. But most of all I'm yours. Completely. For always. I know we've got so much going on and I know it's scary and I know it's hard, but we love each other Edward. And right this minute that's all I need." I finished my sentence by scooting forward on my seat and closing the gap between us. As my lips found his he let out a soft sigh and his mental thoughts relaxed until all he was thinking of was the feel of my lips on his.

He pulled me to him so that I was pressed up against his chest tightly, his hands wrapped around my waist. He wiped his tongue across my bottom lip and then traced the tip of it across my own tongue. I sighed contentedly and I felt him smile against my mouth.

"You always know just what to say and when to say it my love. Thank you. And I love you too baby. Always." He whispered, kissing me lightly and then releasing me so that I could go back to my own seat.

The rest of the journey was spent in a contented silence, not a worried one.

Edward kissed me at the bottom of the stairs and I went up to bed, needing the rest after another long and difficult day. He was going to speak with Carlisle about his conversation with Sam. I wanted to know what had been said too, but I also knew that when Edward was ready to tell me he would. We had all night after all.

Edward slipped into the bed beside me an hour later and began to rub my belly in slow, soft circles. I sighed lazily, loving the feel of his strong fingers against my now visible bump. He pulled me so that I was lying on my back, flat against the mattress. He lifted my nightgown until it was bunched just under my breasts and he began laying fluttery kisses along my tummy. If it weren't for his other hand that was now rubbing my ass in increasingly harder circles the kisses to my belly would've been almost entirely innocent. Aimed solely at him wanting a tangible physical connection to me and to his baby.

His kisses began to change, as did his breathing. His ragged pants increased in their frequency as his hands began to travel up and down my inner thighs, coming together and leaving a trail of hot need as they cupped my sex with each pass.

"So beautiful." He murmured against the juncture of my thigh and where I needed his tongue most. The soft hum of his husky voice making me twitch with desire. I reached for his hair, rubbing my fingertips through his silky mess and trying desperately to hold his mouth to me. Other than the steady hum of his moaning there wasn't a single sound in our room. I concentrated on our moans, the rise and fall of his chest as he pulled in the unnecessary oxygen. I pushed my head back into the pillows further and stifled a scream when his tongue ran flatly up between my lips.

I clutched at his hair and had he been mortal he'd have cried out in pain at the way I tugged his face closer to my aching heat. Instead he groaned again as I clamped my thighs shut around his searching tongue and lips. With my swollen clit between his teeth he looked up at me through his impossibly long lashes and grinned in such a wicked and depraved way I let my climax overcome me, all the while I tried to stifle the need to scream his name as I convulsed on his tongue and lips.

**EPOV**

I knew she wanted to scream, I could feel it build along with her orgasm as I stroked her engorged bundle of nerves with the tips of my teeth. Holding her thighs still I let her ride out half of her orgasm before I slid my middle and ring fingers deep inside her. Her muscles were still clenching rhythmically from the first orgasm when I felt her next one begin to swell.

Nipping and sucking at her lips I plunged my fingers into her harder and faster, separating and flicking my fingers, waiting for the painful suppression of her cry that would signal I'd found my mark.

Her whimpers began to build into incoherent words but I wanted her to remain silent, as silent as possible. I wanted her to feel what it was like to have one of her senses disabled while I pleasured her.

I knew as soon as I was inside her we could communicate but I wanted us to be silent, to know without words what the other wanted, needed. I wanted a deeper connection than we'd ever had before.

She twisted a handful of my hair in her hand and pulled, hard. I groaned against her dripping wet sex as she spasmed on my fingers again.

I let her ride out the second climax and as she was relaxing her inner muscles I withdrew my fingers and waited until she was watching before I licked them clean. She closed her eyes, her eyelids heavy, the thick purple bruising underneath a sign of both her thirst and her lust for me.

I tugged my shirt off over my head and used my feet to kick off my jeans and boxers. I flung my socks to the pile of discarded clothes and then I made my way back up the bed to her until we were eye to eye.

I steadied myself using my palms on the bed, either side of her head, and in a single sweeping motion I pressed myself deep inside her, stilling as I seated myself to the hilt inside her hot, wet depths. She closed her eyes again, knowing I wanted us to be quiet this one time.

**BPOV**

I knew he wanted me to be quiet but it was agonizing. I wanted to tell him how good he felt, how much I loved him, how much I needed him inside me.

'_I know baby…I feel it too…I ache for you…so good Bella…so good…'_ he was moaning in his mind and this made me impossibly hotter as his length slid almost completely out of me before being plunged back in. I shifted so that my legs were now firmly wrapped around his waist in an attempt to prevent him from pulling out too far. It was to no avail, he simply pushed his hips back further with each stroke and continued to torture me with the frantic rhythm he had set.

'Oh god Edward…so good…love you…so good…' I told him silently as he continued his steady pace. I hooked my ankles together and held him to me, reaching up to pull his lips back to mine. When his tongue was inside my mouth I bit down on it and felt him tremble. 'Tell me Edward.' I asked of him silently. 'Tell me what you need from me.'

It was as if a switch had been flicked on inside him. He pulled out of our kiss and half sat on his haunches though never breaking our physical connection. He began to thrust with twice the purpose. He hooked my thigh through his forearm and held my leg to his hip to go deeper than ever before. In a frenzy of motion he grunted with each plunge. His eyes were blazing, holding my gaze as he pushed more of himself inside, driving himself on with an intensity I'd never seen before. _'Mine…' _He growled in his head and I sucked in a sharp gasp. His possessiveness, the feral snarl on his lips as he rocked into me harder and harder…it all drove me onwards to another climax. _'Mine…only mine…you'll only ever be mine Bella…god, oh god…' _

'Yes…yes…only yours…only ever yours Edward…' I replied, watching his beautiful face contort with the nearness of his own release. He stunned me by throwing himself back down on top of me, my chest absorbing his weight easily as he continued to thrust forcefully inside me. He held my face between the palms of his hands, holding me still, making me hold the eye contact, willing me to stay focused on him, us, where we were joined while he loved me.

He licked his bottom lip and I saw his eyes travel to my neck, to the juncture between my throat and my shoulder and I heard his request as the first hot spurts of his release began to leave his body. 'Bite me Edward…mark me as yours…only yours baby…' I told him. In half a second his teeth were sunk into my skin and he grunted loudly into my ear as his climax crashed through his body.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37 Return of Miss Brown Eyes

BPOV

It was three in the morning when Alice tapped lightly on our bedroom door and asked us to come down and talk about a plan for my big day at school tomorrow.

I'd slept a little so was a bit groggy when I hit the bottom of the staircase and saw the whole family already on the sofas waiting for us to join them.

"Hi guys." I said hesitantly. I felt like I had been summoned to the principles office.

Alice was giggling and I shot her a quizzical glance as I took a spot next to Esme. Edward sunk into the seat beside me and put his arm along the edge of the sofa and began to stroke my shoulder softly.

"Rose, I'll pay to have the window on your car fixed. Sorry about that." Edward told Rose, who waved him away saying it was nothing and she'd organize with Sam to order a replacement.

"Ahh yes, Sam called while you were…well, Sam called, Edward." Carlisle said with a smirk a mile wide. "The message was the pack has scoped the nest and they have a lock on the scents that were present. He has spoken to the elders and they are all in agreement that the pack will assist us in anyway we require but will not provoke or attempt to approach the trio."

"Thanks Carlisle." Edward said.

"I need to get out there myself Edward, I need to see for myself these three so I can begin to see what their plans are." Alice was saying, but Edward was already shaking his head before Alice had finished her sentence.

"No Alice. It's too dangerous. Marking their scent is one thing, actually going out there trying to meet them is idiocy." Alice was about to protest but Edward bought his hand down from the back of the sofa and held it out in front of himself to stop her from speaking, she looked affronted. "Sorry Alice, but it's too risky. If you haven't had any contact with them by the time Bella is ready to give birth then I'll take you out there myself and you can introduce yourself, but for now we steer clear." Alice huffed but realized Edward was deadly serious and would not be moved, even though she pouted unashamedly.

Esme shuffled forward a little and turned to face me slightly before asking, "Bella dear, how are you feeling about going to the school tomorrow?"

"I'm really rather excited actually. A bit concerned about my eyes though." I looked around the room and saw them all grinning at me, obviously they had a plan and I was the last to know. Again.

Alice came and sat on the coffee table facing me; she put a small box in the palm of my hand and said I could thank her later.

"Contact lenses? Huh, I never thought of that." I chuckled.

"They wont last long though. The venom in your eyes will dissolve them in about two hours, so you'll have to replace them through the day, and they'll make your eyes irritated, but it's the only thing I could think of to disguise your coloring." Alice grimaced but I smiled widely.

"Don't apologize, jeez, I hadn't thought of anything so a little irritation wont bother me." I opened the package and saw a dozen pairs of muddy brown lenses in little blister packs. "I should have a trial run yeah?" I asked and Alice nodded. I excused myself and went to the downstairs powder room to have a crack at putting them in.

**EPOV**

I kept my eyes trained on the powder room door and let the conversation of the family drift around me. I was only half listening as they droned on about mundane things like what their own eye colors had been before they were changed and how much longer it took them to be able to go to school as Bella was about to.

When I heard the door latch I sprung to my feet and was in front of the bathroom door when she stepped out.

It might have only been a few months since I'd last seen my Bella with brown eyes but I was still shocked to my core!

She was gorgeous – it's not that she wasn't always gorgeous – but with dark brown eyes, with her pale white skin and ruby red lips…there was no way to hide how turned on I was. I wanted her, again, right now.

She smiled, I'd been read, and she pressed herself up against my chest, purring into my ear, "I'll keep them in."

Yes please I told her as we made our way back to the living room.

"Oh wow, look at you sis!" Emmett bellowed, earning him a reproving look from Esme, to which he just shrugged and let his dimpled smile do all the work. Esme was soon grinning at him indulgently. He always got away with shit like that!

"Different huh?" Bella shrugged and everyone crowded around her telling her how weird it was to see her with brown eyes again.

Soon the novelty wore off and we were all once again in our seats and ready to discuss strategies for today's foray into the human world.

"I think we should all hunt before we leave, right?" Rose asked and we all nodded and agreed that was a good idea. We'd go out as a group, which we'd not done since before Bella's change. I'd enjoy that and I knew Bella would too.

"I advise you to take your own car Bella," Carlisle said, "That way if you need to leave you can do so without drawing too much attention. You'll need to work out amongst you who will go with Bella if she leaves."

"Whoever is closest at the time, either me or Alice." I looked to Alice and she nodded her agreement.

"You've got Geography first up with me Bella, so you will be okay there. Then you've got Trig, but I'm right next door so I can keep an ear out for you then too." Alice said and Bella nodded that those two lessons would be fine.

"We'll all meet in the quad for the morning break, so no fear there." Rose offered, again earning a nod from Bella.

"Seth is going to want to show you off at some point Bella, probably in the quad as he meets Chloe there for the early break." Jasper told Bella, to which she giggled.

"What have I got between the morning break and lunch do you know?" She asked me and I told her she had double English. "Bugger, nobody in there with me, or even close, are you?" She asked the family and they all shook their heads. "Okay, it's only an hour, I can live with that. And if I can't I can just excuse myself and wait it out in the trees by the parking lot, right?"

"Of course. Just call for one of us and we'll come keep you company, or hunt, whatever you want to do." Emmett said.

"No!" I roared and I felt both Bella and Esme jump beside me in shock.

"What?" Carlisle was on his feet in an instant, crouched and ready to fight.

"Shit, sorry Esme. I didn't mean to be so loud. Forgive me love." I patted Bella's shoulder, she was looking at me with wide scared eyes. " Sorry. Bella can't hunt near the school, those three bastards are out there."

"Oh shit, sorry Esme. I forgot about that." Em said, nodding in my direction. "Right, well, if Bella needs to hunt she just drives out of the parking lot. Simple."

"I agree, but not alone. Okay Bella?" I asked her and she nodded. "Either me or Alice, okay?" I asked again and she nodded.

**BPOV**

Edward was wired. Sprung so tight I was worried he'd snap at the first sign of me struggling. I was going to have to work doubly hard tomorrow to control my thirst and my reactions to it if it was bad. Who am I kidding? It was going to be bad. But I could do this, I knew I could. I would have to concentrate really hard and I'd have to be smart about my use of oxygen and how far to push myself before my thirst became overwhelming. I hoped the others would understand, and forgive me, if I failed.

"What is it love?" Edward whispered, leaning over and looking at me with a worried look.

"Um, well, I was just thinking, I don't want anyone to think they've let me down or failed me or anything if I can't cope tomorrow. I'll just come home, I wont do anything bad, I promise dad." I looked to Carlisle with wide eyes so he'd know I was sincere. "I wouldn't ever do anything…you know, to a human, to make you sorry you gave me this." I held up my wrist and shook it, making my Cullen bracelet jingle.

"We know sweetheart. We're so proud of you already, so you just do your best tomorrow. It's for your benefit that you're going, so there is no harm in saying it's too hard, there'll be plenty of opportunities, I'm sure." Esme patted me on the hand and I felt an instant wave of love flush over me at her kind words. I chanced a look at Carlisle and was intrigued to find him staring at me with a very odd expression on his face.

He leaned across Esme and took my hand in his, touching my bracelet quite delicately and said in a soft voice, "You could never make me sorry Isabella. Ever." And with that he let my hand go and sat back against the sofa. Edward resumed rubbing my shoulder but his touch was more insistent as he mulled over Carlisle's words. He was both in awe and very proud to have me at his side and have his 'father' so enamored with me. For the first time since my change I missed my blush!

"Are you looking forward to seeing Angela?" Rose asked, breaking the silence in the room, at last.

"Yeah, I am. I mean, I talk to her almost every night on the phone but I haven't seen her in over a month, she started thinking I had some sort of flesh eating virus there for a while." I chuckled and Carlisle screwed up his nose, laughing a little I noticed.

"Newton is going to be insufferable." Edward moaned beside me but I didn't take too much notice. To Edward Mike Newton was insufferable for merely breathing!

"You have him in your Gym class don't you?" Jasper asked with a wicked grin on his face.

"Yeah, I do, which I guess I have right after lunch, right?" I looked to Alice and she nodded.

"Well then, there's your chance." Jasper scoffed but I didn't catch what he meant until Edward snorted beside me, obviously reading in Jasper's head what his idea of my 'chance' was.

"What?" I asked first Jasper then Edward. Both of them shook their heads so I asked one, or both of them to spill.

"Jasper thinks it might be a good idea to sort of put to rest the idea that you are clumsy, that's all. But he knows its not a good idea, right Jaz?" Edward nodded pointedly at Jasper who, although he nodded, did not look like he knew it was a good idea at all.

"I'll think about it." I giggled, looking at Alice who threw me a quick thumbs up. Trying to change the subject – and hopefully putting an end to the conversation so we could hunt – I asked Edward if he was looking forward to our last class of the day tomorrow.

"Yes." He said out loud, but then he smiled down at me and pressed his fingers into the base of my neck a little harder as he pushed his thoughts to me. _'Oh yes Miss Swan, we have Biology last lesson. I intend to make it most memorable.' _His eyes were dancing with a mixture of mirth, excitement and pure lust. I shivered slightly at the intensity of his stare.

Alice broke my reverie by reminding us all to come straight home after school because we had to set up for the dance. Edward groaned and Alice shot him a warning look before announcing that everyone, including Carlisle and Esme were required, hands on deck, for the festivities. I was to be let off if I couldn't handle Chloe being so close but other than that all the family were expected to play host and to actually dance. I giggled a little at being let off if I needed to hunt but Alice shot me another warning glance and told me that she'd see if I was actually thirsty or if I was simply 'piking out' as she put it. Great. Bloody dancing Nazi!

**EPOV**

The family ran together in a group across the lawn and jumped the river in our various fashions, each leap as distinct as our personalities. I hung back and watched Bella as she launched herself from the end of the jetty and executed a perfect swan dive before landing deftly on her feet on the other side and resuming her run through the trees.

I would never tire of watching her, so strong, so agile, and so very, very beautiful.

"Come on Edward, keep up!" She called over her shoulder to me, holding her hand out for me to grip as I ran to her side.

In such a large group hunting was always going to be a logistical nightmare. The small herds of deer that congregated close to our home weren't enough to feed eight hungry vampires and the larger beasts that lived in and around the forest there were too few in numbers to feed more than one or two of us at a time. The larger group split into two when we hit the denser trees and scrub to the north. Alice, Jasper, Bella and myself continued on north while Rose, Emmett, Esme and Carlisle headed west back along the river in search of bigger game.

Alice and Bella ran ahead, their hands joined across the divide between them as they ran. Well, Bella ran, Alice sort of pranced her way through the forest. She was a very strange creature my sister.

Jasper ran beside me thinking all the while about the sounds around him. He was hungry too.

The girls stopped dead when they smelled the bobcat to the East of where they stood. I watched, burying my chuckle, as Alice warred in her head about allowing Bella the kill or simply dashing off and hoping she got there first. Eventually, after what seemed an age but was more than likely half a second, Alice tipped her head to Bella and I watched as my fiancé took to the trees in hot pursuit of her morning meal. Alice shrugged to herself and flew off in the complete opposite direction to try her luck elsewhere.

Jaz came to a stop beside me, tipped his head in the direction Alice had gone and he was off after her. I went in the direction Bella had taken but at a much more leisurely pace. Neither of us was ready to share her hunt, yet. I was so fucking thankful to just have her with me, and her _wanting_ to be with me, that I could be patient for that part of our relationship to come. As long as it took, I wasn't going anywhere.

As usual I took to the trees and made my way through the higher branches until I found a good spot to watch her as she tackled the bobcat to the ground and bought him into her lap. He smelled delicious and I couldn't deny my own thirst as I smelled the first hint of his sticky life force flow between her lips. Bella could see me and was watching me through her lashes.

Bella was all vampire as she drank but with those dark contacts in she was exotically human too. It was the most curious, erotic mix of genres I'd ever seen. I wanted her, badly. Very. Fucking. Badly.

I watched as she pursed her lips more firmly over the puncture wounds on the animals neck and sucked harder in order to get the last drop. As the big cats last heartbeat rang out between the trees Bella tipped her head back and groaned in pleasure. The trickle of blood at the corner of her mouth, such a dark ruby red against her pale skin, ran down her chin and came to settle in a heavy droplet at the base of her throat. I wanted that droplet. Like I've never wanted anything in my life before.

Her eyes flew open as she read the thought in my mind. She dropped the carcass at her feet and was at the base of the tree in which I was perched in a millisecond. She hadn't wiped the trickle of blood from her lip at all so I was at a loss as to what she wanted from me.

"Bella?" I asked, confused. If she wanted me to come down I'd not do it. Her hunt was not complete, while the scent of the animals blood was thick in the air and its blood was still outside her body I was loathe to risk it.

Bella ran the tip of her index finger through the line of blood at her throat and looked at it, her now brown eyes wide. She held the finger out to me. "I won't hurt you Edward." She purred.

My cock twitched in my jeans and I ached to run my hand along the line of buttons just to give myself some friction. I was frightened and filled with lust all at the same time. I wanted, so very badly, to share this with her but was unable to move.

**BPOV**

I could feel the blood congealing on my skin as I stood at the foot of the tree. In a few more minutes the opportunity would be gone and I'd have to wipe the dried blood off myself. "Please Edward." I begged as I took a small leap and used my free hand to steady myself on the lower branch of Edward's tree.

I stayed lower than him, in case his fear overtook him and he fled, he wouldn't knock me out of the tree himself. I reached my finger up towards him a little more, pleading with my eyes for him to take it. I could see him lean a little lower on the branch and I knew from his mental thoughts that he wanted to, very badly.

I hopped to higher again, slightly to Edward's right, my eyes never leaving his as I moved and settled myself on the thicker branch. "Bella?" He asked quietly.

"Please Edward." I whispered again, holding my hand closer to him, past the trunk of the tree. I wound my free arm around it and held myself to it so that my body was pressed against the cool bark. Edward moved towards me, bracing himself against the trunk too.

'_This is dangerous.' _He was thinking.

I began to shake my head. I kept eye contact with him and straightened out my arm so that my hand was just inches from his slightly parted lips. The blood on my fingers was almost totally congealed now. The flavour would be lessened already but it seemed Edward didn't care. He still wanted it, still wanted me to share it with him, no matter how frightened he was of the consequences. I'd never hurt him, it was the furthest thought in my mind as I touched the blood to his bottom lip. His tongue ran across his lip and I felt him stiffen as he tasted what I'd offered. It wasn't the blood itself that was causing him to growl as he was. I doubted he even realized he was growling as he took my whole finger into his mouth and sucked hard.

**EPOV**

This is dangerous. I'm smarter than this. I should've let her feed in peace. This is dangerous. God I want this. I want her. I should run. I can't run. Bella?

I looked into her eyes and saw the desire in them. She wasn't coveting a kill or trying to dominate me so I'd leave her hunting territory. She wanted me like I wanted her.

I gave her one last opportunity to turn and run. "Bella?" I asked. She nodded and I reached around the trunk of the tree and pulled her to the branch where I stood. I gripped her hips firmly with my hands and she threw her head back, offering me her throat. With one long lick I mopped up the spill from her kill and drank it down hungrily. It was almost completely dry now but I didn't care. I didn't want the blood, I wanted her skin in my mouth.

"Yes Edward." She purred as I bit down at the juncture of her throat and collarbone. She threaded her hand into my hair and tugged, holding me to her more firmly as I opened my jaw and dug my teeth into her harder, eliciting a delicious moan from under my lips.

I moved my hands to her ass and pulled her up against me, letting her feel how much I wanted her. She moved her free hand behind us and braced us against the tree trunk allowing me free reign to knead her beautiful ass harder as I sucked the last trace of her kill off her pale and slender throat.

The logistics of having her in a tree were formidable but Bella took matters into her own hands by reaching above us and gripping the branch above as I opened her jeans and pulled them to her ankles, mine quickly following. Never breaking eye contact she swung, using her wrists, and wrapped her legs around my waist. With one swift motion I was inside her. The second she covered me completely her mental voice screamed out my name.

'I know baby, I know.' I told her as I began to pump into her hot, wet centre. She swung from the branch with each thrust causing her hips to grind back into me with each outward pull I made. I wanted her hands in my hair, her fingernails in my skin as I had her, but it was impossible in the tree as we were.

'_Oh god Edward…so good…I want to touch you too…love you…so good…' _she told me as I pulled her ass to me tighter, seating myself deeply inside her.

I bent my lips back to the base of her throat and began sucking for all I was worth. How I wished I could still mark her as I had when she was human! There was only a feint trace of her kill left on her skin but I lapped, sucked and nipped at it anyway, hungry for what remained.

She began whimpering more loudly and I knew her release would be swift and violent in this position. I watched her beautiful face as she rode the wave of ecstasy that overcame her. '_Love you…so good…mine…'_ she growled in her head as she came undone on top of me.

I love you too baby I told her as I pumped her harder, reaching for my own release. As it began to make itself known in the pit of my stomach Bella let one of her hands go and bought it to the back of my head. She gripped my hair in her fist and tugged my head backwards so I was forced to look into her eyes as I came. "Mine." She snarled as I spilled into her.

'Mine' I agreed silently as I rocked against her for the last time, spent.

I let her slide off my waist and held her steady while she pulled her jeans back up, then she held me steady while I did the same. With one last deep kiss we jumped down onto the ground and ran back to the clearing to wait for the family to join us.

As the sun rose over the mountains we began to hear the first feint sounds of the family running towards us, all from different directions. Rose and Emmett got to us first. Rose had sticks all through her hair and Emmett had a devilish grin on his smug face.

As Alice and Jasper approached, from the other end of the clearing, Jasper was still tucking his shirt back into his trousers, Alice too was grinning from ear to ear.

It wasn't until Esme and Carlisle came out of the woods that the laughter began.

Esme was wearing what was left of Carlisle's shirt. It had been a nice dark blue color but was now smeared with earth and what smelled distinctly like lynx blood. Carlisle himself still wore his pants but the ends were frayed and he was barefoot. They came to stand before us and I lifted my fist. Carlisle bumped it with a wide smirk and Emmett guffawed with real purpose. As we were each reaching for our mates hands Esme's delicate giggle could be heard through the trees. "If you come back fully clothed you're just not trying hard enough."

**BPOV**

I checked my book bag and saw the little box of contact lenses was tucked carefully in with my wallet and house keys. I reread the good luck message my parents had sent me and then I tucked the cell phone into my jeans pocket.

"Ready love?" Edward asked, taking my bag for me and slinging it over his shoulder with his own.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I said quietly, taking a look around the room to see if I'd forgotten anything.

Esme met me at the foot of the stairs and hugged me tightly to her, telling me again how proud she was of me and saying that she knew I could do this, to just try my best.

The three cars were parked in the driveway when Edward and I stepped out into the gloom that was the Forks winter. Rose and Emmett were in his Jeep because the BMW window was yet to be repaired from yesterdays altercation with Edward's fear. Alice was sitting in the passenger seat of her beloved yellow Porsche and Jasper was just getting into the drivers seat as we approached my equally beloved Elise.

"Good luck dear." Esme called from the front steps and I paused to give her a little wave. I slid into the drivers seat and smiled to myself as the car roared into life. I followed Emmett and Jasper out of the driveway and we were soon arriving at the entry gates to the school. Edward leaned over and put a firm hand on my thigh.

"You can do this, love." He smiled that gorgeous lopsided grin he knew I loved so much and I smiled and nodded in agreement. I could do this.

I took a long, cleansing pull of the air in the cabin of the car and pulled to a halt beside Emmett's Jeep.

Edward pulled our book bags from behind his seat and asked me to stay there while he came around and opened my door for me. Ever the gentleman!

With one last mental 'you can do this' from Edward I let him appear to help me from the seat. I leaned against the side of the car, trying to get my bearings as the flood of human scent hit me square on.

The mixture of scents made it impossible to put a smell to a face, which with my particular habit of assigning relationships might be a problem today. If I couldn't name the scent I couldn't trick my brain into thinking about how they fit into their respective families.

I assured myself this would be easier once I was inside a classroom with smaller numbers around me.

I felt Edward give a little tug on my hand and then we were, all six of us, walking towards the picnic tables through the slight drizzle of Washington's almost constant rain. The first to approach us was Angela, thank god. She ran the last few steps toward us and threw herself into my arms, hugging me tightly and saying how pleased she was that I was at least able to come on the last day.

She stepped back away from me and looked me over, her head tilting to the side, probably trying to work out what the difference was.

'_You're doing so well beautiful girl.' _Edward told me as I pulled out of the hug and smiled widely at Angela.

"How are you feeling?" She asked me and I smiled again.

"I feel great, thanks Ange." I replied, sucking in the air around her in tiny little gulps to avoid too many scents at once.

"Everyone is so excited that you're coming today. Ben is in a meeting with the careers advisor so he said he'd see you at first break. We have Trig together second, so we'll catch up some more then yeah?" She asked hopefully and I said of course we'd catch up some more then and that I was looking forward to seeing Ben again too, of course.

Streams of students were marching up the hill towards the front of the building now, the bell could only be a matter of moments away, so the air around me was thick with the delicious smell of human. Rose gave me a pat on the shoulder as her and Emmett moved away from our group and headed off to their first classes.

Jasper kissed Alice lightly on the cheek, wished me good luck and went off to his locker before his first class of the day.

Edward was reluctant to leave me with Alice but his first class, Spanish, was at the far end of the rear group of buildings so he needed to leave now to get to his locker and get to his class before the first bell sounded. Alice stood right beside me, her hand clutched firmly in mine. Edward stood on my other side, his hand also being clenched with mine. I didn't want to let either of them go. Ever.

"I'll give you a minute." Alice said, backing away slightly and resting herself against the closest picnic table.

Edward pulled me to him, crushing me against his chest, his nose buried in my hair as he did when he left for school of a morning, memorizing my scent. '_I love you Bella…forever…I know you can do this…call my name I'll be at your side in a heartbeat.'_ He told me as his lips covered mine in a chaste – for us – goodbye kiss. Out loud he said, "Newton is planning to question you second lesson, remember who you are, you're a Cullen now. I'll be waiting outside your classroom to walk you to second period. I love you Miss Swan." He kissed me again on my cheek and was gone.

**EPOV**

It was harder to leave her standing outside the admin building than it was to leave her at home with Esme!

I should've felt infinitely better but I felt fucking horrid. I was throwing her to the wolves! Not literally, there was only Seth at the school. But the children in her classes were going to be merciless in their questioning and I'd not be there to help her at all. Not until last period which now seemed an awfully long way away.

I slid into my seat in the Spanish class nodding to Ben as he came to sit by me in the empty seat.

"Hey man, it's gotta feel good to have her here today yeah?" He asked enthusiastically. I could tell from his mind that he'd not seen her yet, he'd had an appointment before school. One he was dying to share the outcome of with someone.

"Yeah it does. Thanks." I told him with regard to Bella being at school. He was still thinking about the turn of events with the careers advisor so I put him out of his misery and asked. "What did Mr Clough have to say then?"

Ben smiled and turned to face me, obviously pleased for himself. "He says I've got the grades to apply to medical school. I have to take advance Chemistry next year but other than that he thinks I've got a good shot at the Ivy Leagues!" He was just about bursting with pride that he'd worked hard enough for this chance.

I was pleased and envious for him. I'd completed medical school twice already but would never know the joy of actually helping a patient through an illness or surgery. But I was pleased that Ben would one day be able to realize his dream. He would make an excellent physician. He was intelligent and hard working and was a good-hearted person in general.

"That's fantastic. Congrats." I told him, clapping him on the back as the teacher came into the room to start the lesson.

I made sure I was ready to leave the second the bell would ring. It would be tricky to get to Bella's first lesson classroom, walk her to her next class and be back to my own without using some form of inhuman speed, but I'd do my best to make it happen that way.

**BPOV**

I walked with Alice into the classroom and sat in the front row. It wasn't my normal seat, nor Alice', but I needed an exit strategy as Edward used to like to call it.

Alice slid into the seat beside me and gave me one last squeeze to the shoulder to wish me luck.

As the classroom filled up around me I could feel all the curious eyes settling on my back as the teacher droned on about Southern Hemispherical Weather Change or some such blather.

I longed to turn around and stare them down but I realized that this was what I was here for. To let them all see that I was alive and well and that I was happy and passionately in love with Edward. I doubted I'd ever be back, especially not once our baby was born, so I had to keep the Cullen pretense at all costs. If that meant showing my face here today and being the circus freak that everyone stared at all day long then so be it. I'd do it if it made Edward happy.

I clenched my jaw shut and tried my best to look human. I fidgeted with my hair, I crossed and uncrossed my legs every few minutes. I toyed with my pen, I huffed when everyone else huffed and I stifled the odd yawn for good measure. Alice looked pleased with my performance so I felt okay.

When the bell rang I got excited, knowing Edward would be waiting for me at the door. My biggest test today was going to be my next class. I wouldn't admit that to Edward, or to the rest of the family. I wasn't too worried about battling my thirst today, I was worried about curbing my animal nature around Jessica Stanley and Lauren Mallory.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38 Let the Inquisition Begin

EPOV

I pulled her to me the instant she came through the door and I felt her drag in my scent as she cuddled into my chest. I took a long pull into her hair and sighed in contentment, knowing she'd gone okay in her first class.

Alice came out behind her and stood off to the side, telling me that Bella was fine, she'd not faltered once and that she would be right next door to Bella's Trig class if she needed her. I nodded and mouthed thank you then put my arm around Bella and began to lead us both down the corridor and to her next class. I pulled her hand into mine in front of us and stared down pointedly at her engagement ring.

And then I asked her silently to tell me how she really was.

She smiled, which melted me and made me want to find a deserted classroom and have my way with her…which earned me a sharp jab to the ribs as she read me.

"I'm fine Edward. Really I am." I was so fucking proud of her I wanted to spin her around and around in front of everyone and crow from the rooftops how amazing she was. Instead I settled for pulling her to me and caressing those perfectly plump ruby red lips with mine.

She moaned deeply and it took all of my considerable self control to let her go, lest I compromise her reputation, again. I looked her in the eye and told her that I'd be waiting at the door when she was done. She kissed me lightly on the cheek and went inside.

I only just made it to my next class when the bell rang.

**BPOV**

Edward's prediction came true the instant I walked into the room. Mike Newton was waiting for me, patting an empty seat beside him no less, when I went in.

I didn't particularly want to sit there but it was close to the door and there was another spare seat beside me that I called for Angela to sit in when she came in behind me.

I spread my books out on the table in front of me, hoping Mike would get the hint and leave me to concentrate on the class. I still had my exams to take over the break and I'd already missed so much.

It wasn't to be.

"So, Bella, you're looking good." Mike leered over at me. I cringed at his nearness, not least because he smelt fucking delicious!

"Um, thanks." Was all I could think of to say. I turned back to Angela and we began to quietly whisper about the dance that night. She was going with Ben, of course, but was disappointed that I wouldn't be going. I'd told her I wouldn't, I wasn't well enough yet to socialize like that. She'd understood but had made me promise that I'd go to the very next dance scheduled in the new term. I felt like I needed to cross my fingers as I said I would.

All around the room I could hear the quiet conversations of speculation about my appearance in classes today. Some thought I was here just to rub it in Jessica's face that I was engaged to Edward. Others thought Edward had insisted I come to rub it in the boy's faces. A few were trying to work out why I looked so good if I'd been so sick recently. The only truly malicious voices came from behind me where the two girls I hated most had decided to sit.

Mike tapped me on the shoulder and I turned away from Angela and faced him once more. "Yes?" I asked, I was probably rather rude about it.

It didn't seem to bother him though because he plowed straight on. "Cullen bringing you to the big dance tonight?" He asked with a lift of his eyebrow. What he was trying to imply I had no idea. I was angry that he called him Cullen, I wanted to grab him by his throat and remind him that his name was Edward. Instead I took half a second to steady myself, I settled what I hoped was my normal human smile and took a cleansing breath.

"No." I said and turned around again. Surely he'd get the hint now?

"He too good for a measly school dance now is he?" Mike almost spat it at my back and I felt my hackles rise. If only he knew that my self-control was at best wavering!

"No Mike. A school dance isn't too good for him at all. We already had plans." I was really trying to stay calm and answer as politely as I could but he was trying my patience. As I turned back to face Angela I saw that Lauren and Jessica were staring at me with wide eyes from the row behind. I smiled at them both sweetly and turned to face the front once more.

"Bella." Jessica called me quietly so as to not rouse the teacher from where she had her head buried in a slightly disturbing romance novel. With a look up to where she sat I steeled myself to turn around, again. I felt like a spinning top!

"What?" again I tried hard to be polite but it was doubly difficult when addressing Jessica. What I saw when I faced her fully made me almost snort with laughter. Her nose _had_ set crooked!

"You knocked up?" She grinned at me as she asked and I knew the question was designed to provoke me. It had worked, but I'd not show her that.

"If I was you'd know about it because Edward would have put a notice in the newspaper and taken out a double page spread announcing it to the world. Since I assume you haven't seen any of that I think you know the answer?" It was the longest sentence I'd spoken so far today and it made my throat burn with renewed thirst as I drew in her scent. She was obviously terrified of me. I liked that.

Edward had always told me I was strange because I'd never feared him, for what he was, when I was human. I don't think that is the case with Jessica Stanley. She sat stock-still and gaped at me for a few minutes before she hung her head over her textbook and refused to answer Lauren, despite her tugging on her sleeve for a good five minutes after I'd spoken.

I knew it wasn't the last I'd hear from either girl but I hoped they'd think twice about approaching me again today. I really didn't want to let the Cullen's down.

Mike tapped me on the shoulder yet again. Again I turned to him. "What now?" I all but growled.

He seemed to shudder from head to toe then he began to stammer through his latest line of questioning. "Um, well, I was wondering. Well, I wanted to know if, well, if you really were going to marry Cullen?"

I huffed a little at having to answer such a stupid question. Then I realized I was dealing with one of the most stupid individuals I'd ever met and I felt a little sorry for him. I took a deep breath and turned to face him fully before I spoke. "Mike, I know it's hard for you to understand, but try, please? For me? When someone asks a girl to marry her and she says yes he presents her with a ring and she wears it, then they send out invitations, they order the cake and she picks a dress it's pretty obvious that she is actually going to marry the guy. Do you have any questions about how it all works? Would you like me to draw you some illustrations to help the process?" I asked and he cringed. I waved my hand at him so he'd see my engagement ring and someone behind us laughed openly at his discomfort. I whispered the next part so nobody but Mike could hear, "Now, I know Edward has spoken to you about addressing me, I'll keep this between you and me for now, but I'll tell him you're harassing me if you don't stop Mike. Don't forget what happened to you at the bus shelter, Edward is a good friend of Seth Clearwater's." I patted his hand and he pulled it off the desk and into his lap as fast as he could.

He was trembling violently and he had a bead of sweat appearing at his forehead, he was terrified. Good.

People had begun to snicker quite loudly as I explained all this to the now trembling Mike Newton. He shook his head and turned his back to me and went about this work in silence for the rest of the lesson.

Alice met me at the door, faster even than Edward had been because she was in the classroom next door. She was bouncing excitedly from foot to foot as I walked to stand beside her. "That was fantastic Bell's. I've just seen him heading towards his next class in shock. You handled that brilliantly, enough humour to make him look like the dick he is but also laced with plenty of menace."

We were both laughing heartily when I felt a firm hand go round my middle and pull me up towards a familiar chest. '_Hello beautiful. Ready for some morning tea?'_ Edward asked me in his head while he bent to kiss my neck, just under my ear, making me shudder at his touch.

**EPOV**

"I could eat." Bella said with a grin on her face and I knew she was absolutely fine. I'd stood and watched her and Alice for half a second as they laughed and I thanked my lucky stars once again that she was mine.

I wanted to put my hand on her belly and feel the lump where our baby grew but knew it would start another round of speculation, so instead I settled for pulling her to me.

"Shall we ladies?" I offered an arm each to Bella and Alice and we strode out into the quad to find Seth. He spotted us before we spotted him, he'd been waiting for this opportunity all week and he had been waiting to introduce Bella to Chloe.

He strode towards us with a wide smile on his face for Bella. He said hello to both Alice and I but his eyes were for Bella only. I watched, fascinated, as he put his hand out in front of himself as if he was waiting for Bella to take it. I was shocked that he didn't do it with any conscious thought. I was even more shocked when Bella reached for it, gave it a squeeze and smiled at him warmly. Bella elbowed me in the ribs, again, for passing comment on this in my mind. I huffed a little but said nothing.

"Come and meet Chloe yeah?" He asked Bella and she looked to me before nodding and taking his hand again as he led her to the other side of the quad.

The area was instantly filled with gossipers noting the way Seth tugged her hand as they walked. The way they whispered to each other before they reached his group. A few people were asking others in their small groups what the connection was between Seth and Cullen's. nobody knew so the speculations continued.

I went with Alice to where the rest of my family had gathered in our usual spot under the eaves of the far building. Jasper was wondering how Bella had gone for the early lessons and I took great pride telling him she'd been fine. Alice went on to tell him about her conversations. The others listened intently but kept their eyes on her the whole time.

Of course we could hear the conversation going on and Seth knew this, so he was very respectful. I watched as Bella smiled and said hello to Chloe and then Seth offered her a seat beside him, his other side flanked by Chloe then another friend of hers. Bella seemed to take this in her stride, never once displaying an overpowering thirst or any discomfort. Every now and then she looked to where I stood and we exchanged soft smiles. Seth whispered how much he was looking forward to the dance tonight and Chloe giggled. It was a secret what our plans were, we didn't want any other humans to invite themselves because it was going to be difficult enough for Bella to have Chloe at the house for a good few hours.

After a few minutes Bella excused herself abruptly and I began to worry that her thirst had begun to bother her. Seth's eyes shot to mine but I had nothing to tell him, so I kept my eyes trained on Bella as she moved towards the middle of the quad. I pulled her to me firmly, noting the quiver of gossip this elicited all around us as I did. 'Tell me.' I asked as she leaned in to kiss me.

"My contacts are dissolving." She giggled and I relaxed. I heard both Rose and Alice laugh softly. I walked her back to where my sisters stood and watched as the three of them made their way through the crowd to the bathroom.

"What's the mood like dude?" Emmett often asked this as we stood outside or in the lunchroom. He wanted to know if anyone was casting aspersions on the Cullen clan or whether anyone had decided to take a more than passing interest in any one of us.

I scanned the quad to discern what the topics of conversation were and then began to point out the more interesting topic pieces, while they tried to work out which thought came from which human. It was a game my brothers and I played often.

"Okay, male, your year Em, wants to know whether Bella is all natural up top." I grimaced but Emmett chuckled and gave me his top three candidates for the owner of the thoughts. He got it right in two guesses.

"Female, Bella's class, she's wondering if you're going to be wearing a cheerleading outfit again tonight Jaz." We all laughed but he couldn't work out who had been thinking it in the required three guesses. He forfeited his next turn.

"Right, male, is wondering if our three women are in the bathroom…oh god, please. That's just gross dude, they're my sisters." I winced but the other two laughed. Emmett got the answer in one. He'd seen the guy watching the three girls walk away and had noticed his, well, he'd noticed him having to adjust himself in the jockular region. Fucking pervert.

"Give us another one before the girls get back Ed." Jasper asked despite having to miss his turn.

"Okay, an easy one. Male, sort of." I laughed and both my brothers did too. "Oh god, this ones too easy. Right. Giant douche standing in the middle of a ring of nice looking girls but is wondering how to maneuver the chance to kiss Bella before she leaves at the end of the day. I'll fucking kill him if he tries what he's thinking though." I growled and both brothers laughed loudly.

"Jeez Ed, make the clues easy why don't ya. Newton of course. What's he got planned?" Emmett asked looking around the quad for Mike.

"He's a simple kinda guy so he's going with a simple plan. Corner her outside their gym class. He's hoping I won't be able to make it from my math class in time to walk her to our Biology lesson. He thinks if he's just able to kiss her she'll see the error of her ways. I've got news for him though." I growled again.

**BPOV**

"You behave Mr Cullen." I told Edward as I came back to the quad with Alice and Rose. I had my new contacts in and felt a lot better. Everyone was still looking at me like I had two heads but I felt okay. I'd heard two younger girls whispering about me in the hall as I'd passed them, but it wasn't anything malicious. They were just wondering what illness I'd had, thinking they'd quite like to catch it if it meant they'd look as good as I did now. I was pretty chuffed after hearing that!

"You should know that Mr Newton plans to corner you and show you his considerable kissing skills after your gym class Isabella." Edward whispered into my ear. He used my full name so I knew he was serious and also more than a little peeved. He ran his tongue around the shell of my ear and I sighed deeply, a long shudder running through my body. This is what I'd been missing. This daily contact with him at school. I snaked an arm around his waist and held him tightly to me.

"Well then, I suppose I had better dust off my groin kicking skills then huh?" I giggled and looked towards Alice. She looked like she was deep in thought but we all knew she was searching for a vision or an outcome for me.

Her face clouded over and she turned to me with frightened eyes. "What is it Alice?" I asked as the others crowded around, concerned.

"You won't be able to go to double English next lesson Bella. Trisha Farwood is going to trip up the steps to the building and she'll be bleeding from a cut on her knee. It's just not safe sweety." Alice told me with a gentle pat to my arm. The idea of fresh blood being spilled anywhere near me sent me into a panic and my thirst crept up my throat and I felt my venom come to the forefront of my mouth.

I swallowed it down quickly and turned to Edward. I thought I'd see panic and fear on his face but instead saw his dark eyes looking at me with lust, his voice was husky as he leaned down to tell me he'd take me hunting during that lesson.

By the time I'd gathered myself enough to respond we were both being told by Alice that that plan was unacceptable. She would take me away, she would take me hunting and she would deliver me back to the school in time for lunch. Edward pouted and I could tell from his thoughts that he was mighty sorry he'd miss the opportunity to be 'led astray' in the middle of a school day.

I couldn't open my mouth for fear of my thirst taking hold – I couldn't stop thinking about the open wound that was sure to become a reality in a matter of moments.

"I'll see you at lunch baby. I'll meet you in the parking lot, okay?" Edward whispered as he lowered his lips to mine. I nodded, there was nothing else I could do. I couldn't respond, but he knew that.

I let Alice lead me out of the quad and through the main building before we ran across the lot to where her car was parked. Within minutes we were running through the woods at the edge of the highway onramp that led to Port Angeles.

"Thanks Alice." I told her as we ran, hand in hand.

"No problem little sister." She giggled. We came to a stop at the edge of the woods, where it met a small feeder stream that ran to the river away to the north. There was a dull thudding noise to our right and another to our left. Alice nodded to her right and we parted ways to feed.

**EPOV**

"You gotta stop looking at your watch man." Jaz chuckled from his seat beside me in our third class of the day. "They'll be back in time for lunch, Alice said so."

I nodded but said nothing. I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and checked the display again. No news was good news, right? I wanted her here, with me, near me at least. That was the whole point of today. I knew she had to hunt, I knew spilled blood nearby would be too much for her, but I wanted it to be me who took her to hunt. Truth be told I wanted another replay of what had happened this morning.

"Alice would ring if there was a problem. They'll be back in 40 minutes and it'll be all cool, I know it." Emmett confirmed with Jasper. They both nodded and waited for me to mirror their movement before they went back to firing spit bombs at the longhaired boy in the row in front.

I spent the 39 minutes before the bell rang going over our hunt this morning. She'd trusted me with spilled blood fresh from her kill. She'd shared it with me, albeit from her finger not the animal itself. But I was sure it was a step in the right direction. And it had been Bella who'd reassured me I could take it from her, not me assuring her.

I knew she'd need to hunt after school let out this afternoon so I began to formulate a plan to duplicate, if not take further, what we'd done this morning.

Jasper nudged me in the ribs and I looked at my watch. But I was out the door before the first peal of the bell rang through the corridors.

She was leaning up against Alice' car with her long legs crossed at her ankles. They were laughing about the tuft of fur Alice had had clinging to her hand when she'd returned to Bella's position after the hunt. I was so relieved to see them both standing and apparently fit and well that I almost forgot where I was and ran full tilt to where she stood. I checked myself in time to curb the urge but still advanced towards her quite quickly.

I got halfway across the lot when she smelled me, her head turning to watch me stalk towards her through the jumble of cars. Alice was already saying her goodbyes, telling Bella she'd see her at the cafeteria in a few minutes. She threw me a quick goodbye as she went past but said nothing out loud. I'd not have heard her anyway, so intent was I on getting to the goddess who stood by the car.

"Goddess eh?" Bella purred as I gripped her hips and pulled her up against me.

"Oh yes. Definitely a goddess." I growled as I took her lips with mine. She tasted faintly of deer blood and I groaned deeply into her open mouth. She curved herself up against me leaving no chance of misunderstanding between us on just how pleased I was to see her returned.

"So possessive today Edward." She murmured as I trailed my kisses across her cheek and to below her ear.

I made sure to nip her just so and I was rewarded with a deep, low moan. "Mine." I hissed against her skin, taking a good mouthful between my lips and savoring her delicious taste.

"Always baby, always." She agreed, fisting her hands into my hair.

'_I knew it! There's no way she's saving it for the wedding night!'_ An angry voice I recognized instantly cursed from somewhere in the parking lot. I broke our embrace and turned to see where Ms Mallory was in relation to Bella and I. I spotted her delving into her cars glove compartment, seemingly innocently retrieving something from it, but in reality her mind told me she'd come out here after being told by someone else that Bella and I were all but consummating our marriage in the parking lot. Great.

'We need to be gone from here now Bella. Mallory to your left, in her car, she's about to go back to the cafeteria and tell anyone who'll listen that we've been fooling around out here. I'm so sorry love.' I told her as I clasped her hand and walked towards the buildings.

"Don't worry about it Edward, I'm glad she saw us." Bella giggled. I looked down at her with what must have been a confused look because she continued. "Saves me having to tell the bitch again that I'm marrying you for love. The more often she sees you all over me the faster she'll work out its mutual, not just me trapping you or something."

"Jesus, does she really think it's not mutual then?" I asked offhand. Bella giggled again. "What?" I asked.

"Jeez Edward, you're the one who can read minds and you're asking me?" Bella was laughing harder now and I could do nothing other than join in.

For a hundred year old vampire with mind reading skills I was starting to learn that I knew shit about women.

**BPOV**

For someone who was over one hundred years old Edward knew diddlysquat about chicks!

I couldn't help but laugh. He'd even spent some time at the Rez quizzing the other guys about it and still he was as naïve as they came when it came to how women thought. Of course Lauren Mallory was in a class of her own when it came to bitchiness, well, her and Jessica formed a sort of herd of skanks, as I liked to think of them. But they weren't thinking anything the other girls at the school weren't thinking.

From what I'd been able to hear during the day – vampire hearing was fantastic for this I was learning – the general consensus was that I had tricked / bribed / been knocked up by / sold myself to Edward and that he was merely going along with it for reasons of his own. So I was more than happy with Edward's very public displays of affection and possessiveness. It would go a long way to dispelling the bulk of the rumors, or so I hoped.

Nothing would deter Jessica, Lauren and Mike. I knew that.

'_I won't leave your side Bella. If you need to flee go out the front doors to the woods behind the parking lot, I'll meet you there as soon as I can. Stick close to the cars_.' Edward told me as we entered the cafeteria. I nodded so he'd see I'd heard right and went to sit at what used to be our regular table, and by the looks of it still was.

"Hey Bella. You look fantastic! How're you feeling?" Ben was the first to greet me and I gave him a wide smile. The mixture of scents in here was maddening. I had just hunted, feasted more like, there were deer everywhere near the school it seemed, so these scents didn't bother me too much. But when the scents overlapped like this I had real trouble discerning whose went with whom. That made my relationship theory fly out the window so fast it left a vapor trail!

"Hey Ben. Thanks, yeah I feel great." I told him as I took a seat next to Emmett.

"Hey sis." He said quietly as he began to crumple the bag of crisps in front of him. Unseen by the humans around Emmett gave my leg a little squeeze. I assumed it was to let me know he had my back in case of trouble. I bumped his shoulder with mine and said hey in return.

"Hey, yeah, you're going to be his sister in law, right?" Angela giggled and I nodded.

"Yeah, she is. We've got a deal going, if she says the word I get to kick Eddie's ass." And with that he leaned over and flipped Edward the bird and then bumped my fist. Jasper was chuckling to himself on the other side of the table so Edward shot him a grimace too, for good measure. I knew what was coming though, I knew it without having read it in Edward's head first.

"Don't call me Eddie you wanker!" Edward boomed across the table. "And if you think you can kick my ass have at it." They both laughed and the table erupted around them as we all joined in.

I saw Tyler leave his seat and come towards us before Edward gave me the heads up silently. Tyler stumbled across the room looking like he was having second thoughts about whatever it was he wanted to say.

"This should be intellectual." Alice giggled and I couldn't help but laugh as he approached the six vampires. The two humans with us couldn't stand him either, so it was hardly going to be a welcoming feeling coming near this table. But he did all the same.

"Hi Tyler." Angela said as he came to stand at the foot of the table. She was far too kind sometimes.

"Hey Angela. Um, hey." He put his hands in his pockets and it seemed that was the extent of his plan. To say hey to everyone. Seeing as nobody replied I figured he'd leave. Edward had other ideas.

"Spit it out Crowley." He barked, making Tyler jump a little in fright.

"Oh well, I was wondering if you're coming to the dance tonight Bella?" He asked, his voice trembling almost as much as his legs were.

Please don't let him ask me out, not while Edward sat beside me and I wore his engagement ring. Surely even Tyler wasn't stupid enough to ask out someone's fiancé, with them sitting right beside them? "No Tyler, I'm not. I've got other plans." I said sweetly, hoping, for his sake, that he went back to this own table now.

"Oh right, well. I thought maybe you'd save me a dance?" He was still asking me to dance with him even though I wasn't going? Good god, had he been lobotomized recently or something?

I was about to answer when Edward got to his feet. Oh shit. I looked to Emmett hoping he'd diffuse the situation being the 'big brother' but he was grinning like an idiot and seemed rather pleased with the turn of events so far. Shit.

Edward towered over Tyler who was slowly sinking in stature he was so frightened. His left leg was bouncing like a junkie who was strung out. I hoped he didn't feint. "Tyler I know you've heard we're engaged so I think you should leave the lady alone and go back to your friends now." Edward said it very politely but he was so close to Tyler's face I knew he'd put as much menace into the short sentence as he could to get his point across.

His point was well made because Tyler all but ran back to the table he'd shared with Newton and some other cronies. They were all laughing and jostling him when he came back but I could see the abject fear on his face as he sat staring at the far wall.

**EPOV**

By the time there was only ten minutes left until the bell went for classes I was at my limit. The mental voices were insufferable but the open staring and gawping was just ridiculous. I felt like a caged lion being poked by horrid sticky fingered children all day at the zoo! I was so happy Bella was with me but the tangle of mental voices was too much for me.

The anger and envy was increasing every time she looked at me. Every time I brushed her shoulder with my hand as it lay across the back of her chair someone in the room made comment about it. Whenever Bella spoke someone remarked about what she could be saying. If Bella turned to face someone at our table it was noted. People were cataloguing her changed features and there were running commentaries about the diamonds on her fingers and at her wrists. Her crest had not gone unnoticed either, there had been mentions of it from three separate groups in the cafeteria in the last half hour. Apparently I had 'marked my territory' sufficiently.

I hated to think what would've been made of the tattoo she had on her skin? I'd probably be accused of branding her like a prized bull!

"Hey." Bella whispered, pulling me from my mental musings. "Let's get out of here for a few minutes yeah?" I'd been read.

I nodded in agreement and pulled Bella to her feet. She excused herself citing needing to take her medication, which was in her car, as the reason we were skipping out early. Nobody at the table, least of all my brothers and sisters bought this excuse. Ben actually silently told me to 'go get some'. I smiled at that as I led Bella from the room.

When we were clear of the building I pulled her around the back of the admin block to the spot where I'd met Alice the day she'd freaked out about a vision of Bella and I leaving the family. I ranged my mind out to make sure we were truly alone and then I pulled her to me. I leaned back against the brick wall and let her mould herself to the shape of me. She felt so good, tasted so good as my tongue traced her bottom lip.

Her hands wound their way to the back of my neck and she pulled my mouth onto hers harder. I gripped her hips and held her up against my now throbbing length. She ground her hips into me and I groaned into her mouth. I felt the corners of her lips quirk up into a smile and I mentally chastised her for again leading me astray.

She pulled out of the kiss, as I knew she would, and soon she was protesting that it was me who'd tugged her to her feet in the cafeteria and led her out here. With he hands on her hips she looked charmingly fierce. Sexy as hell too with her pouty bottom lip swollen from my kisses.

"Hey dirty boy. Can you keep a lid on it until we at least get home from school?" She was brandishing her finger at me like I was a naughty schoolboy. My mind was immediately returned to the time she'd texted me saying I would get a spanking if I was bad. I hadn't even completed the thought before she leapt at me and her tongue was once again my mouth.

She curved her leg to fold around mine and pulled me to her roughly. She used her fingers to twist my hair and pull my mouth where she wanted it, which was at her collarbone. I growled perhaps a little louder than I'd wanted to when I smelled her arousal through her jeans as she parted her legs to tighten her grip on mine.

I wont be able to keep a lid on it if we don't stop this now Isabella I told her as she pushed my mouth up to her throat and began moaning when my teeth grazed her soft, pale skin.

Tugging my mouth back to hers she kissed me deeply for a few seconds before pulling away and resting her forehead on mine. This was a tactic we'd used when she'd been human, a way to slow things down lest we get carried away. Of course now that she was vampire I could just fling her over my shoulder and run with her into the woods and throw her down and fuck the ass off her, if I so wanted. I. So. Wanted!

"Edward!" She chastised. But I knew she loved that I'd thought that. The rush of her aroused scent told me so.

"I'd say I was sorry, but I'm not." I chuckled as I took her hand in mine and kissed her engagement ring. I twisted her bracelet between my fingers a few times and wondered if today's charm had arrived at the house yet.

"I hope so, I'm dying to see it." She answered, having read me perfectly. "I need to change these contacts again before class, walk with me?" She asked and I led the way.

**BPOV**

He was leaning against the wall outside the bathroom when I returned, fresh brown contacts inserted and ready for gym.

His smile as I joined him was glorious. I was eager for this day to be over and I could tell from his thoughts he was too. We'd have the next four weeks to be together and we'd be totally alone for a whole week on our honeymoon!

When we reached the gym he placed a feather light kiss at the corner of my mouth and said he'd see me right there, in the same spot, after the class. He wanted to walk me to our last class of the day, Biology. I couldn't wait.

I watched him walk back towards the main building of the school and marveled at the curve of his ass in those low rider jeans he was wearing today. Two girls from the other gym class snapped me out of my trance. We were often their opponents in games. I think I'd hit one of them with a badminton racket accidentally during one lesson.

"Hi Bella. I'm Chelsea, this is Clair. Can we see your ring please?" Chelsea asked.

I could see no harm in it and I was very proud of the glittering diamonds that sat on my finger so I said of course they could and held out my hand. Both girls gasped and said how lucky I was to be marrying such a nice guy like Edward.

"I think so too, thanks." I said and walked into the locker room with them ahead of me.

It was obvious that both Jessica and Lauren were keeping their distance from me. I took my gym clothes into a stall and changed as quickly as I could. Which was pretty quick indeed because I was done and out of the locker room before anyone even had their shoes tied. I noticed a few stares and whispers as I left the room but nothing I couldn't handle. Some were nasty others were merely curious about our wedding plans and such.

As I went out into the gym a boy I recognized from Alice' Trig class rushed over to me and asked what the crest was on my bracelet.

"Ah, it's the Cullen crest." I answered truthfully.

"How come you've got one then?" He asked. I didn't think he was trying to be nasty about it, just curious. I heard a snigger behind me and turned to see Mike and Eric covering their mouths and laughing. A group of boys was forming in the stands to watch and hear the answers to the questions being asked of me. It was most definitely an ambush. It was also quite obvious that this boy had been sent to do their dirty work. I was pissed because I'd been pretty clear with Mike earlier today and I assumed he'd catch my meaning from the earlier warning.

"I've got one because in three weeks I'll be a Cullen." I tried to keep my anger out of my voice and I think I succeeded because the idiot stood his ground.

"Is it true that Seth Clearwater got an invite to the wedding?" He asked, checking over my shoulder that he'd asked the right question. I heard Mike whoop from the bleachers, obviously the kid had done good. Morons.

"Yes, he'll be there." No reason to lie about it. I turned to face the group of boys and picked out the one I knew to be Chloe's older brother. I stared him in the eye, "I think he's bringing your little sister, right? Lucky girl." I winked at him and saw him blanch. His anger bubbled up and he got to his feet but Newton pulled him back into his seat whispering about the beating they'd both suffered a few weeks ago.

I looked back to the kid in front of me and wondered if he had any further questions to ask? He looked towards Mike and then turned and went up the stairs to sit with the group. I guess the inquisition was over.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39 Accident, Honest Injun

**BPOV**

This could be my last ever gym lesson at Forks High I thought as the volleyball came towards me again. I stuck out a lazy hand and let the ball hit it, hoping to duplicate my clumsy ball skills that I'd had as a human. Alice had coached me about seeming as I had been before my change but I was feeling an increasing need to just spike the bloody ball and win each point. I hadn't ever realized I had a competitive streak in me, probably because I was so uncoordinated I couldn't play half the games anyway! That wasn't the case now.

I had plenty of targets to aim at on the other side of the net. Lauren stood between Mike and Jessica so it would be like shooting fish in a barrel to quote Emmett. I could just aim at one of them and they'd know I'd done it on purpose, mission accomplished. But which one do I aim for? I'd already hit Jessica and despite the way her nose had set I could relish hitting her again, especially now that I could do her damage and remain intact myself.

Mike probably wasn't a good target because while he was annoying he was basically harmless. It was true he'd not been harmless to Seth, but Seth had sorted that out quite well I'd been told.

So that left Lauren. She had been a real bitch during the lesson. A spiteful bitch actually. More than once I heard her tee up the server of the ball to hit it towards me. I'd missed badly a few times on purpose and each time I had Lauren had giggled and told the other girls on her team it was because I was knocked up and had 'pregnant brain'. I was furious but hid it behind gleaming smiles in her direction. Every time I did that her heart rate spiked and she swallowed hard. I did a little deal with myself, if she said it again I'd hit her with the ball. If she took my silent intimidation at face value and shut up I'd leave her alone.

It was my teams turn to serve having one the previous point so I stood to the side a little as the ball whizzed by me and over the net. A flurry of movement saw the ball back on my side and a teammate rushed towards the net to hit it into the air, setting it up for me to spike it. Nobody was confident that I could but they'd all been warned by the teacher to share the ball, even with those of us less likely to be good at anything. Lauren sealed her fate by covering her mouth and 'coughing' the word slut just as I was about to miss on purpose.

Instead I fisted my hand and cocked my wrist so the ball would ricochet off at a precise angle and hit Lauren, hard. To the bystanders it was a miss hit because Lauren was not close to the net on the opposite side to me. I'd had to twist my wrist just so, so that the ball would fly off it at an odd angle, thereby making my shot a complete 'accident your honour'.

I'd aimed for her chest and I'd scored a direct hit. I'd hit it hard enough to wind her but not hard enough to cause any serious damage, despite wanting it to.

She flew backwards and landed on her substantial ass on the hard wooden floor. Her hands went up to her chest and she held onto herself as she gasped for breath. Her eyes were wide and frightened as the choking sensation overtook her. I remembered it well. I'd been winded so many times I'd lost count.

A crowd gathered around her, all offering useless assistance. Everyone knew you just had to calm down and wait it out, that your breath would return soon enough. But such was her social standing she warranted a small crowd of minions to assist. It was rather funny actually. I said sorry over and over in the best concerned voice I could muster, stifling my laughter was more difficult than I'd have guessed.

The coach barked for me to join him on the sidelines and I obediently marched towards him, ready to receive my talking to. I tried to lower my head and look appropriately bad for my actions, even though I had done it in such a way that it looked like an accident I should look contrite.

"Swan, if you hold your wrist out in front a little further and keep it taught that won't happen. Next time try standing closer to the net and the shot will be a winner every time. Good work." He smiled at me and I'd been dismissed, obviously.

Wow.

I went back to my place at the net and waited. The coach, who looked reluctant, went to where Lauren sat on the gym floor and hoisted her under her arms until she was standing again. He asked if she was ok and she nodded while scowling at me through the net. I threw her a quick wink and smiled broadly.

The coach blew his whistle and told us to hurry and get changed back into our normal clothes ready for our next lessons. Not a word was said about what I'd done. As I went through the locker room door I wondered if Alice had seen that and if she was giggling too?

I was still thinking about this when I felt myself being pushed into the row of lockers to my left. I turned to see who'd shoved me and saw Lauren, eyes blazing, standing squarely beside me.

"You did that on purpose you fucking bitch." She screeched.

I laughed, loudly, and planted my feet. "Yeah, I did." I laughed again.

"I should kick your ass Swan." She yelled, clenching her fists ready to fight.

"Yeah, you probably should." I was still laughing and I knew that unnerved her. She was whipping her head from side to side to see who was watching, which was every single pair of eyes in the locker room. I knew if she swung at me I could do real damage if I defended myself so I reluctantly decided to stop this here. Intimidation was the key, she was already scared of me I just needed to remind her of it. I closed the gap between where we stood and looked her dead in the eye. "But you're not going to because when I hit you, like I hit Jessica, your nose will break and I have to say Lauren, I'm a fair bit angrier with you than I ever was with Jess. So you'd have to wager that I'd hurt you a lot more than I hurt her. So if you want that, bring it. If not I'd shut the fuck up and move along you disgusting fucking slag."

I'd been very steadily moving closer to her so I knew she could smell me and I knew my venom was having its desired effect. If humans smelled it they nearly feinted from the fear. I kept my lips shut enough so I wouldn't snarl, which was instinctual and I couldn't yet control it very well, but let them part enough that the scent of my venom would flood her cringing face.

She blinked tightly and backed away. She said nothing as she turned on her heel and went into the stalls at the far end of the room.

The locker room stayed silent after that. Nobody said a word while I was in it. However, the second I had changed and had left it erupted.

**EPOV**

I heard in the minds of the girls coming out of the locker room that Bella had just put Mallory securely in her place. I was so fucking proud I think I barred up a little!

I hung back away from the doors of the gym because I wanted to see what Newton was going to pull. I had heard in his head at lunch that he had no intention of heeding either of our prior warnings to leave her alone. He was an idiot of the highest order.

I saw Bella walking, alone, through the gym towards me when Newton tugged on the strap of her book bag. She stopped and he raced in front of her before she had a chance to see what and who had stopped her. He put his grimy fucking hands on her shoulders to hold her steady and just as his lips were about to contact with her she lifted her knee and clocked him right in his balls. He went down like the sack of shit that he was and she continued walking as if nothing had happened.

A crowd was forming around the now screaming Douchebag on the floor but Bella never looked back. She came out of the doors, looked for me, turned her nose to the air and sniffed then looked directly at me.

Fuck she was hot. She was smiling so widely her cheeks were about to burst.

Without saying a word she reached for the front of my t-shirt and pulled me to her waiting mouth. She thrust her tongue deep into my mouth and sighed when I bit down on it. I was near to bursting in my jeans. Screw Biology we should just go home and fuck. A lot. Like twenty times in a row. Till she begged me to stop. I wanted her screaming.

"Jesus Edward, stop thinking shit like that. I can't handle much more of this as it is." She purred, removing her lips from mine and standing away a little.

"I can't help it. Christ that was amazing. He's still crying." I chuckled as I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and began leading her down the hall to the labs.

When we were a few feet from the door to the lab I heard Newton's mental voice, he wasn't happy. In fact he was pissed, really pissed. And not least because a girl had just kneed him in the nuts, but because I had laughed when she'd done it. I could tell that he didn't want the confrontation we were about to have, not at all. He felt bound to say what he was going to say to her because if he didn't he'd lose face with his cronies. I grimaced as his words formed in his head. This was going to be ugly.

Bella had heard me run over Newton's words so she was well prepared for the onslaught. She squeezed my hand to acknowledge she knew and whispered to me to let her handle it. I told her I wouldn't step in unless he got really verbally offensive. He hadn't formed any sort of plan where he touched her in anyway, so I could at least concede that he wouldn't strike a girl.

"Swan!" Mike called after us. We pretended it was the first we knew about his wanting to speak to us and turned slowly, with confused expressions on our faces. The corridor seemed to fill with students then, some faces even poked out of doors as word got around that there was to be some type of confrontation.

"Yes Mike." Bella said sweetly.

He strode towards her, his fists clenched at his sides and I braced myself to step in.

"You fucking bitch, you kneed me in the balls!" He spat at her as he advanced closer to where we stood. "That's a low act even for a Cullen fucker like you are bitch." I kept my arm around her shoulders but loosened it, ready to step in. he'd called her a bitch for the last time. Bella smiled sweetly but said nothing, which enraged him even more, if possible. "Well?" He screamed obviously looking for a comeback from her.

"Well what Mike?" She asked innocently. I was working so hard to contain my laughter at his puce face and flailing arms but thought perhaps I was doing a very bad job of it because Mike turned on me next.

"Shut your smug mouth Cullen. You think you're so fucking cool…you're nothing…she's nothing…you deserve each other." He was so angry he stumbled as he shouted the last few words at me.

I quickly told Bella what I was planning to do and she nudged me a little in the side to let me know she'd heard. I stepped forward and closed the gap between myself and Newton who was now shuffling his feet in panic. He knew he'd pushed me too far. He wasn't worried about Bella, he should have been because she was far more volatile then I was at the moment, but he paid her no mind as I advanced on him. When he thought I was going to punch him I put my hand on his shoulder and squeezed quite firmly. Anyone looking at him head on would've seen the grimace my grip elicited, but since that was only Bella I thought I'd give him another half a square foot of pressure just to get my point across. The tiny groan he let out of his filthy mouth told me he was in pain, as did his mental reaction which never really got any further than 'oh fuck'. I let my lips fall away form my teeth slightly giving him a good look and a good whiff of my venom laced mouth. Another 'oh fuck' rumbled around in his addled brain as I prepared to address him.

"Listen Mike, I really appreciate you saying that we deserve each other, that means a lot. It really does. Thanks, too, for saying how cool I am, I've been working on it, so thanks mate. As for smug, oh yeah. I am smug. I'm so fucking smug that that gorgeous creature over there is going to marry me come New Years I can hardly contain myself. So thanks buddy. What I'm having trouble with is that you've called my fiancé a fucking bitch twice now and I don't like that, not at all. I suggest in future that you just don't address her at all. Now, I saw you make a pass at her just now and then I saw her knee you in your tiny sac, so we'll call that even, shall we?" I squeezed a fraction more and when I heard him whimper I let him go.

To any on looker it was a friendly conversation but the three of us knew better. A few of the other students were beginning to suspect it wasn't quite as friendly as I wanted it to appear because Mike was wincing in pain and desperately wanted to put his hand to his shoulder and massage where my fingers had taken purchase on his flesh but thought better of it lest his buddies think I'd hurt him. As he was about to turn and go back into the gym I called to him again, he didn't stop walking but he looked over his shoulder at me, where he found me waving. "See in Biology Mike, we'll save you a seat!"

And with that I went back to Bella's side, accepted her kiss on the cheek and put my arm back over her shoulders. I led her back into the building and into the science wing.

**BPOV**

"Oh my god that was so funny. Did you see the look on his face? He's going to be black and blue tomorrow, isn't he?" I asked him as we got into the classroom.

"Oh yeah, I didn't push hard enough to break anything but he'll be bruised alright." Edward was smiling widely, his beautiful face lit up like he'd just wont he lottery. "I told you he was going to make a pass at you, the bastard." Edward said in a whisper as the room began to fill up.

"I knew you were serious and I did tell you that I'd brush up on my nad-crushing skills."

'_Remind me never to piss you off again Isabella_.' Edward told me silently as Mike and Tyler came into the room. Edward began waving at Mike, as he said he would, but Mike did his best to ignore us and instead sat in the second row from the front. Tyler looked once at Edward, said nothing, and then sat down beside Mike.

"What's he thinking?" I whispered. Edward pulled my chair closer to his and put his arm along the back of my chair. If the teacher saw us he would more than likely ask Edward to keep his hands to himself, but the teacher wasn't in the room as yet.

'_Mike is sitting there hoping his shoulder isn't dislocated because he wants to …eww that's just nasty. God. Let's just say that he had plans with Miss Stanley this evening that included the use of both his hands. I could've done without ever knowing that.'_ Edward was grimacing as he told me but I giggled, making the row of girls in front of me turn and give me a strange look. I shrugged and smiled which made them turn around again. '_Tyler is thinking about asking Mike if he's okay. He knows our chat wasn't friendly but doesn't want to ask because Mike will be pissed. Tyler thinks it was real funny.'_ Edward kept up the running commentary on our classmates thoughts right up until the moment the teacher entered the room.

Edward whispered that this was a substitute teacher today but he didn't know where our usual teacher was or why.

"I'm Miss Stacey. We'll be watching a film in today's lesson, as I'm not actually a Biology teacher. As it's the last class on the last day of term as long as you keep the chatter to a minimum I won't mind if you talk amongst yourselves." And with that she pushed the start button on the television and then play on the DVD. I have no idea what the film was that she had put on because the second the opening strains of the music began Edward pulled me to him and ran his hand up my thigh.

He began to rub slow circles along my leg then he leaned back in his chair as if he was concentrating on the television screen. _'Third row, second boy from the left thinks you've got very attractive breasts. I happen to agree.'_

I sucked in a little breath as my desire swelled inside me. It was as if the entire room emptied in that moment. The fresh scents were gone from my brain and all I could think of was Edward. How he smelled, how he felt, how his skin tasted in my mouth. I must have moaned a little because I heard him chuckle. _'The boy in your gym class who held the door open for you thinks you have a luscious ass. Couldn't have put it better myself.'_ I know I moaned a little louder this time because two rows ahead a girl turned and looked at me funny.

I shot Edward a warning look but he merely grinned. '_She is now wondering where my hand is under this desk. She's imaging what it would be like to touch me even though she's more than a little afraid, no, not afraid, intimidated by me.'_ He chuckled lowly at that and I smirked. I remembered feeling intimidated by him, by his sheer magnetism, his presence, so I knew how she felt.

I leaned a little closer to him and he bent his head over towards me so I could whisper into his ear.

"I know how she feels. I wanted to touch you for the longest time too. Now that I know what it's like to touch you it's all I can think about." I emphasized my building desire by running my fingers up his thigh stopping just before the crease where his leg met his groin.

'_Fuck.'_ He cried in his head. Outwardly his expression changed very little, but I knew I'd hit my mark, and he knew I knew it. _'Christ Isabella, what you do to me! One touch and I'm…' _He left off there and instead of finishing his thought he gave a scowl and turned his attention to the row beside us. In it sat three boys who were all looking at us with huge grins on their faces. I quickly removed my hand from Edward's crotch region and put it back on the table in front of me. If I could've blushed I would've. Since I couldn't I decided I'd be mortified instead.

**EPOV**

Filthy fuckers! I threw them all a long angry look and they turned back to face the front of the room. Each of them was thinking about how much they wanted it to be _their_ pants Bella was stroking. I'd inadvertently put her reputation in jeopardy again. I'd never been so glad to hear a bell ringing my whole existence as I was when the one signaling the end of the school term rang that lesson.

The substitute teacher was the first to leave the room, followed closely by 22 children eager to begin their winter break. That left Bella and I alone in the room.

When the last child was gone I pulled Bella to me and using her hips I put her up on the lab table and then I positioned myself between her parted knees.

'This is where it began Bella,' I told her through our mental connection, 'this is where I felt my first stirrings of sexual desire for you. Right here, in these seats.'

She put one hand on my waist, pulling me to her more closely and used her other hand to stroke the hair at the back of my neck.

"Me too Edward. This was where I met you, for real. So many hours I sat here wanting to look your way but couldn't. So many days I went home wondering if I'd ever get the chance to hold you." She whispered.

I leaned down and took her lips softly with my own. I told her over and over how much I loved her, wanted her, and needed her as I kissed her in our Biology lab.

She broke the kiss and leaned her forehead onto mine. "I love you too Edward. I need to hunt baby, take me home." She purred, taking my hand in hers, slipping down off the table and tugging me towards the door.

Our siblings were already gone by the time we got to the parking lot. Bella's Elise was one of the last vehicles left and as I turned it out of the lot and into the traffic Bella turned and gave the school a little wave. I guess she knew how unlikely it was she'd return after the break.

**BPOV**

I didn't need Edward to tell me I'd not be coming back next term. By the time the holidays were over I was going to be married and probably huge. I'd been steadily putting on weight, not a lot, but a steady gain every other day. Even I was smart enough to know that this pregnancy was moving ahead far faster than any normal one. I was going to be a mother either before the term resumed or soon after. Either way I'd be in no condition to return to school here.

"Please don't worry, love." Edward said, patting me on the knee as he drove. I'd been so wrapped up in my thoughts I'd not given Edward's thoughts an ounce of attention. I didn't know why he thought I was worrying.

"I'm not worried Edward." I told him but he wasn't buying it.

"We've got an infinite amount of time Bella, all you want to achieve can be done, I promise. You'll graduate when you're ready, you can go on to do whatever it is you want to do." He sounded so sure I almost believed him.

"But we'll have a baby Edward, how do I go to school, and then college, with a baby?"

"Because you're a Cullen, or soon will be, that's how. The seven of us have been through high school dozens of times and then through college a few too. It won't matter to any of us if we take a year or two off in turns. And while I'm sure that you'll want to do it all yourself there are seven of us who would love nothing more than to care for the baby while you go to school."

"You mean leave the baby with you all and go and finish school by myself? Oh Edward I don't think I could do that, be away from you and the baby everyday." The idea of that made me feel sick. The shiver that went through me shook me to my core. It was too frightening thinking about that.

"Leave it for now love. There is plenty of time for decisions like that. How about we enjoy the weekend, go to Italy and find out some things then decide, okay?" He pulled the Lotus into the driveway behind his siblings cars and came to offer me his hand at the passenger door. He pulled me against his chest as I came to stand and he kissed my hair, "Please don't worry Isabella, you can have it all and I'm just the man to give it all to you." With that he tugged me inside to see what today's post had bought me.

Esme greeted us warmly and was already sitting on the sofa so I joined her with my stack of wedding envelopes and the now familiar brown wrapped parcel. Edward shot up the stairs to stow our book bags.

"How was your day at school dear?" Esme asked.

"It was great. I had hardly any trouble at all which makes me feel so much better about being able to handle the wedding all day." I told her as I opened the first of a dozen ivory envelopes.

"And how did the other children behave towards you?" She asked.

"They were fine for the most part. Some of them were curious and I got lots of strange stares, but nothing untoward I don't think. I got to hit Lauren with a volleyball, which was fun. Oh yeah, I also got to knee Mike Newton in his nads, so that was worth going for." I giggled and Esme gasped.

"Did you really do that to a boy?" She asked, looking shocked.

"Yeah, he made a pass at me, do you believe that? With Edward standing outside the door too." I told her, putting three more acceptances on the pile on the coffee table.

I expected her to be cross with me so I got myself ready to apologize for sullying the Cullen name or something. When I turned to her she was smiling though. "Tell me Bella, was it as satisfying as it looks in the movies?" She asked, giggling.

"Yeah mom, it actually was."

When Edward came down to join us he was shaking his head and telling me mentally what a bad influence I was on his poor innocent mother. I poked my tongue at him as he sat beside me to watch me open today's charm.

**EPOV**

She was so lovely sitting there with Esme. The way Esme giggled with Bella made my insides tumble over. I gave her a mock scowl when she poked her tongue out and sat beside her to watch her open her mail.

There was a neat stack of wedding acceptances on the coffee table so I shuffled through them idly while Bella oohed and aahed with Esme about her charm today.

"Well, read the note Bella." Esme was insisting.

I heard Bella snap the ring together on the bracelet and knew she'd added the tiny sun charm onto the next open link.

"Ok, it says, My darling Isabella, You are the sun around which my entire existence revolves. Please accept this charm as a token of my love for you and know that it is a symbol of how highly you are held in my regard. You are the centre of my universe and I love you with all that I am. In 21 days we'll wed and I will be able to worship you for the goddess you are. Yours in eternity, Edward."

"Oh that's so lovely Edward." Esme told me, holding her hand to her heart. A gesture that I happily mirrored.

"Do you like it love?" I asked Bella.

"I love it Edward!" Bella shrieked and kissed me on the cheek.

"I'm glad." I could hear Alice already directing her minions – Rose, Emmett and Jasper who were all protesting loudly – as to where the decorations for the dance should be put. I thought it a good idea to get out of there while the going was good. Bella stifled a small giggle, I'd been read. "We should hunt while you have the chance Bella."

Bella scooped up the wedding paraphernalia off the coffee table and said she'd go and stash those and join me outside in a few minutes.

I went out onto the decking to see how the preparations were proceeding. Judging by the whining in my siblings heads it wasn't going at all well.

"No Jazzy, string them alternately. You know? One colour then another and so on." Alice had a clipboard, yes an actual clipboard, and she was pointing to a box of lantern shaped string lights while Jasper tried his best to untangle them and put them up as Alice wanted. He rolled his eyes at me when I walked past. Poor bugger I thought.

Emmett was in charge of setting up the jukebox and all the cabling for the lights. Alice screeched when she saw he'd run the cables along her 'dance floor', which was really just the inner square of the decking. Emmett huffed once or twice but rerouted the cables along the edge of the deck and Alice patted him on the head as if to say he'd done a good job. If she could've heard what he called her after that she'd have run a mile!

Rose was using her considerable strength to push torchlights into the ground, the kind you see at outdoor bbq's. They had small oil canisters inside them and they would burn for several hours, even outdoors. Alice inspected Rose' work and seemed pleased. She didn't comment at all so Rose was thinking she was lucky not to be chastised for 'doing it wrongly' like Jasper and Emmett were.

Bella came and stood beside me, taking my hand in hers, and we stood for a few minutes watching them set it all up. Alice was shouting instructions here and there and the others all huffed and puffed their way through the ordeal as best they could. They were well used to having 'Party Alice' in charge of festivities. It wasn't a good idea to go against her wishes or offer a differing opinion.

"Oh good, Edward, can you go and fetch the chairs and tables from the garage? Bella, go and get the tablecloths from Esme." Alice pointed at us where we stood

"Nope, we're off hunting." Was all Bella said and she skipped off the edge of the deck, pulling me along with her. "Be back later." She called as we ran off through the trees.

**BPOV**

Alice was still calling curses at us when we hit the trees.

There was no way I was getting caught up in the preparations. I don't dance and I don't like parties.

Edward was laughing hard out loud and even harder in his head. He was so pleased he'd dodged the Alice bullet.

"You look pretty smug there mister." I giggled as we ran hand in hand along the edge of the river on our way to our favourite hunting grounds.

"Of course. This is the first time in fifty years I've not had a role in one of Alice' festive maneuvers." He chuckled pulling me so that I was keeping pace with him.

"Any excuse for a party huh?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Pretty much. Alice would host a party for the opening of an envelope!" He crowed.

I stopped dead still when I smelled the lynx. Edward came to a stop a few paces ahead, he doubled back and kissed me on the corner of my mouth. '_Go love, I'll be here.' _He told me mentally and I was off after the succulent scent.

After all day in the school with all the smells and tastes of the humans I was ravenous. It would take a few warm bodies to satiate me this afternoon. I never knew where Edward went to watch me hunt until after I had completed my rituals, and then I found him, usually high up in a nearby tree. I'd take this animal down and have it fast. Once I'd doused the worst of this thirst I'd take more care and listen for where he was before I bought my prey down. I was eager to see if I could be nearer to him when I hunted, I wanted to share with him again. Even if it was just a little of my hunt as we had this morning.

The lynx was crouched ready to take off through the trees as I'd approached it from up wind. It sprang thinking it could out run me but I had it around its neck in four strides. It hissed and bucked in my arms as I bought it onto my lap and sunk my teeth into its warm flesh. I know I groaned loudly as its blood flooded my mouth and coated my palate. I was so very thirsty. It had been a long day.

It was over all too soon and as I stood and pushed the now spent animal away I listened for Edward's thoughts. He was again up a tree watching and he was thinking about how much he'd enjoyed the tiny act of sharing from our last hunt together too.

I went to the base of his tree and beckoned him to me with the curl of my index finger. He smiled and hopped from branch to branch until he was hanging above my face on the lowest branch. '_Yes dear, you beckoned?'_ he sounded amused even in his thoughts.

"I'm still thirsty. I'll run north. Please follow. Find a good, strong perch. I want to share again too." And I was off and running.

'_Fuck you're so hot baby.'_ Edward was chuckling in his head as he took to the trees to follow.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40 Dinner and Dancing

**EPOV**

I watched in sick fascination as Bella ran her fingers through the wounds at the deers neck and scooped up the last trickle of blood from her kill. I knew why she'd done it, I was just stunned that she had.

As she walked towards my tree she began to climb up to where I was. I wasn't as afraid this time, knowing she was in control of herself. When she reached the branch below me she smiled and ran her tongue over her bottom lip. Her tongue was red with blood, as was her outstretched finger. I couldn't suppress the moan as I licked the blood from her hand. I watched as she closed her eyes, a deep rumbling purr vibrating from her chest as I suckled her blood coated fingers.

I was hard in half a second. It wasn't the blood it was the way she presented it to me. She wasn't afraid, she wasn't dangerous, she was filled with the same lust I was.

I wanted to taste the blood that lingered in her mouth. I wanted to run my tongue along her teeth and taste it mixed with her venom.

"Then do it Edward." She whispered, pulling me to her with her free hand.

I knew I was groaning loudly but I couldn't help it. She'd licked her canines, releasing her venom, so when my tongue found itself in her mouth I really did get to taste the blood of the animal mixed with her intoxicating venom. My knees buckled slightly and I dipped forward, toward her, on my branch. I braced myself with a hand on the trunk of the tree, the other around the nape of her neck effectively tethering myself to her mouth.

I let her pull her mouth away from me and watched as she stepped back to the ground. She had the most adorable grin on her beautiful face as she once again beckoned me to her with the curl of her index finger. There was nothing I wouldn't do for her and nowhere I wouldn't follow. The only problem with that was that she knew it too!

I jumped from the branch and with a dull thud was beside her on the forest floor once again. 'Yes dear' I asked her, again.

"One more Edward. I need one more small one. Do you need something?" She asked me. I shook my head and told her that I only needed her. She smiled again and my throat began to thicken with desire. It was going to be a very, very long evening with her in my arms while we danced. I hoped we'd be able to sate some of this desire a little before the dancing began. "I want to be able to share my hunt with you Edward, but I'm not quite ready for that yet. But…" she hesitated a little and I knew she was wanting to be brave, to try something we'd yet to experience. "If we start out slowly, maybe if I just got used to you being nearer to me when I drank? Could that be a good place for us to start?" She was asking me?

"I will do whatever you want of me, love. Tell me what you're comfortable with, I'll be there." I told her honestly. This was to be something only Bella could instigate. It was too dangerous for me to foist myself on her during her hunt. If she wanted to share this with me it had to be done, learned even, at her pace.

With a soft kiss at the edge of my jaw she was gone, through the trees and off after the herd of black tailed deer. I ran behind her, a little closer than I normally would, so I'd be there when she bought one of them to her lap as she would do from habit. By the time I came across her she was already tugging the small buck to her breast, her lips poised over its neck. She looked up at me through her thick lashes, a macabre smile at her lips. "Closer." She whispered. I watched again in sick fascination as she parted her lips, licked her teeth, closed her eyes tightly and suctioned her lips over the straining animals jugular.

The scent of its blood was released to the air around me despite Bella's almost complete seal on its neck. As she gulped its blood down hungrily she opened her eyes a little, watching me as I stood about ten feet from where she lay. I plunged my hand into my pocket and adjusted myself without embarrassment. I couldn't curb my aroused state any more than she could curb her thirst. They went hand in hand. I began to be fascinated with the movement in her throat as she swallowed. Her cheeks hollowed as she sucked harder at the fast draining beast, making her throat convulse as she swallowed the warm blood down. Her lips slurped and lapped at the last few drops and her eyes once again found mine.

I hoped to god she was thinking the same things I was. Her slurping and lapping, sucking and swallowing from my cock.

The feint heartbeat from the animal ceased at the same time that Bella pushed it off her thighs. With a last lick of her bottom lip she stood before me, right up against my chest. She tilted her head up to me and I could once again smell the blood in her mouth. I groaned heavily as she flicked her tongue out of her mouth to show me she had saved the last drops from the deer, it was pooled on her tongue. It took half a second for me to realize that it was for me.

Oh. Fuck. Me.

I put my hands on her shoulders and closed my eyes, drinking in her scent and the scent of the blood in her mouth before I crashed my mouth down onto hers and sucked the still warm fluid from between her lips.

**BPOV**

It was so hard to know if Edward wanted this, this way. I didn't know if it was customary to share the actual blood between mates. I'd never asked and nobody seemed willing to share the information with me. What if it was _only_ supposed to be shared from the actual animal? Maybe it was gross that I kept offering him blood from my kills, twice now from my fingertips and now on my tongue?

Maybe we were just supposed to hunt separately and then share the overwhelming lust afterwards? Maybe it was just a turn of phrase – share the hunt?

Humans didn't share food from one mouth to another, at least not any human I'd ever seen. Maybe it was fucking gross?

I was okay with him standing so close to me while I drank. I knew he wasn't coveting my kill because I could hear his thoughts. I wasn't defensive and I wasn't on the offensive either. The only thing going through Edward's head as he watched me was lust.

I felt the stream begin to ebb so I steeled myself to retain a little of it in my mouth, forcing myself to resist the desire to swallow it all down hungrily. It took a little effort to make myself stop, but I did it.

I walked to Edward and stood very still in front of him, and then I showed him I had blood on my tongue for him. I could hear him warring with his thoughts about that before it dawned on him what I wanted.

I was mentally prepared for him to think it was disgusting, that I'd want to share the blood this way with him. But I had nothing to go on, no previous experience and he'd not explained to me before what he meant by 'sharing the hunt'.

When he put his hands on my shoulders I thought I'd guessed wrongly. But then he groaned and kissed me deeply, hard.

'_That is so fucking erotic Isabella…you taste divine…I want you…all of you…'_ he crashed through the sentence in his mind as his tongue explored the inside of my mouth and lips. Then he was suckling my tongue into his mouth as the kiss changed from sharing the fruits of my hunt to pure desire.

I wound my fingers into the hair at the base of his neck and pulled his mouth to me harder, showing him that I wanted him too.

I was hesitant to go any further with the carcass of the kill at my feet so I pulled away a little, unfortunately that broke the spell a little. '_What is it love?'_ He asked me as I stepped away from him slightly.

I threw the carcass a pointed look and he immediately understood my reticence.

He reached down and took my hand and tugged me until I followed. We ran out of the small space where I'd ambushed the deer and went back in the direction of the house. As we came to where the trees met the jetty I thought Edward would turn us in the direction of the house. Instead he pulled me along the edge of the river, going east, past the jetty. I'd not ventured this way before, the others having told me that the hunting wasn't as plentiful in that direction because the town encroached on the pastures and forests only a few miles away.

I was about to ask where he was taking me when an enormous shed came into view. Edward pulled his key ring from his pocket and unlocked the side door and then tugged on my hand again, asking me to follow him inside.

The light outside was beginning to fade so the shed was almost dark. Of course we could both see perfectly so the whole place had a kind of hazy glow about it as the last shards of the afternoon sun flowed in through a row of very high windows.

This was where the cabin cruiser lived when it wasn't out sailing.

There was sailing paraphernalia all around the shed. Buoys and life vests were stacked to one side beside a rack that contained a dozen pairs of water skis. Wet suits and scuba gear were in a padlocked cabinet made out of wire mesh. The dingy was high up in the rafters and held up with a complicated series of ropes and hooks.

Edward went to the side of the cruiser and flung himself up onto its deck before he reached down and offered his hand for me. I gripped it and let him pull me up onto the boat. His arms went around me and his lips descended on mine before I'd fully put both feet onto the polished wooden deck.

**EPOV**

I didn't want to make love to her near her kill either but I couldn't take her back to the house. The others would pull us into the preparations for the dance and we'd not get a moment alone until the festivities were done for the night. I couldn't wait that long. I wouldn't wait that long.

Of course I could just take her to our cottage but the wrath of both Alice and Esme was too much even for me to contemplate.

That left either another tree, a clearing or the boat shed. Oh, the boat. God. I'd wanted her on the boat since she'd first laid eyes on it that day.

And now here she was in my arms as we stood on the deck.

I could make out the feint sounds of the music from the jukebox at the house but not the mental voices of the family, thank god. We were totally alone out here. Well, there were a few animals and birds, but nothing to mentally distract me from the seduction of my beautiful Bella.

I let the kiss play out a little further before I pulled her hand down from where it tangled in my hair and used it to pull her over the to banquette. I turned her around and used my hands at her hips to position her on the table so that I could stand between her thighs. She looked up at me in question, probably wondering why I didn't just take her down below and make love to her in the huge bed there.

"We have a perfectly serviceable bed in the house Bella but how often am I going to get the chance to ravish you on the open deck of the boat?" I rasped against the pale column of her throat. I felt her suck in a gulp of air as my words registered with her brain. "Oh yes Isabella, I intend to have you right here." I told her as I bit down on her shoulder.

I wanted to shred her clothing and have her laid out before me totally bare as fast as possible but even I couldn't think of a suitable excuse as to why she was returning to the house naked after 'a quick hunt'. So I settled for tugging her jeans and panties down and off her feet in the traditional manner. Of course this gave me ample access to the creaminess of her thighs and her glorious sex as I made my way back up her body to stand once again between her legs.

"You're horribly over dressed Edward." She moaned as I began to undo the buttons of her jersey. I smirked down at her and hoped she was listening to my mental voice as I told her I had no intention of staying clothed while I fucked her. The way she sucked in air over her teeth told me she had indeed been listening.

When I'd divested her of her last piece of clothing I took her luscious nipple between my teeth and her other breasts into the palm of my hand. Her moans and gasped increased in vehemence in direction proportion to the strength with which I bit. I left her right nipple and switched to the left, eliciting a strangled sob from her throat.

'Do you want me Isabella?' I asked her through our mental connection.

"Oh yes…Edward…please…" She begged as I shifted my one free hand to her dripping wet sex.

'You're so wet for me…is this what you need baby?' I asked silently, stroking her folds languidly, using the tips of my fingers to spread her moisture to her clit at the top of each stroke.

"Unngh…yes…more…god that's so good…I need more Edward…" she whimpered.

She arched her back effectively pulling me over her as she lay back on the tabletop, offering herself to me fully.

I released her nipple from between my teeth and took my hands away from her just as I felt the first of her climax building. Her eyes flew open widely as she searched for me. I stepped away only far enough to shed my clothing and in a heartbeat I was poised at her entrance. I ran a finger from the cleft at the base of her throat, down between her breasts and over her still flat stomach, I paused at her clit, applying firm pressure and watched as her tongue snaked out between her lips before she took her lower lip between her teeth and bit down.

"Tell me Bella." I rasped between my own clenched teeth.

**BPOV**

"Mine!" I screamed as he plunged himself into me fully. He stopped though; right when he was fully sheathed inside me he fucking stopped! 'I know you can hear me now…please Edward…please…' I begged.

I heard him audibly chuckle once and then he closed his thumb and forefinger around my clit in a tight pinch and I gasped in pleasure. I was about to begin begging again when he pinched down at the same time as he shifted his hips and pushed his length deeply into me. It was all I needed and I felt my orgasm begin to spasm through my belly and down through my clit before enveloping my sex in it's pulsing bliss.

I was clawed at his forearms as I came down from the high.

I opened my eyes to see him hovering over me with a gorgeous smug grin at his lips. His eyes dancing in pleasure as he began to slowly thrust within me once again.

"Is that good baby…do you like that when I pinch your clit Bella…"I growled loudly into the cool night air as he rasped the question out of his panting mouth.

'I love it Edward.' I told him silently. I watched the satisfied smirk come across his mouth and I knew he'd heard me. 'Is it good for you Edward? To have me like this? Splayed out for you…oh god…yes, deeper…aaah…' he was making the most hypnotic circles with his hips, causing the base of his cock to rub against his very insistent fingers and increasing my pleasure ten fold.

'_You are so fucking gorgeous laid out for me…I wanted you all fucking day…they all wanted you, fuckers all of them…mine' _again he was growling in his mind. '_You like that…when I roll like that…oh yeah, you like it…' _he answered his own question and I licked my bottom lip in answer. His eyes flew to my mouth instantly, watching as I moistened my lip again.

'Did you like sharing my hunt today Edward?' I asked mentally, knowing the gesture with my tongue had reminded him of it.

'_Oh fuck…yes…yes…yes I loved it…so hot…oh god Bella…tasted so good, looked so good, want you baby…Bella…Bella…'_ he crooned over and over.

He rolled his hips once more and I was lost. I came undone screaming his name again into the night. I wanted to take him with me. I wanted to feel him pulsate inside me. 'Come with me Edward…come for me…' I begged as the rush of endorphins rolled in waves over me as my muscles spasmed around him.

He bucked his hips furiously and pulled my hips roughly up to meet his thrusts and then he clenched his jaw and closed his eyes as his climax began to overcome him. '_I love you baby…so good…love you…mine…yes…yes…'_ I watched his beautiful face tense and then he was coming in hot spurts deep inside me.

'I love you too Edward…so much…that's it…give it to me…love you baby…aaah…' I trailed off as he slumped against my belly, totally spent.

**EPOV**

Jesus H Christ on a fucking cross that was so, so good. It seemed to take forever before I could gather myself enough to even lift my head from her stomach. She was running my hair between her fingers and cooing to me softly while I came back down. I slipped out of her reluctantly and offered a hand to help her to sit. The cold hardness of the table could hardly be comfortable, even for a vampire.

"It's fine baby." She giggled as she read the thought.

"Come on, let's clean up downstairs." I grabbed our discarded clothes off the deck and ushered her down below. I laid her clothes out on the bed and told her to take her time in the bathroom while I got dressed.

I sat on the edge of the bed and waited for her and then I lay down and rested my head on my elbow and watched as she dressed. God she was beautiful. Never more so than after I'd made love to her. She was rosy cheeked from the hunt and her eyes were glittering in the moonlight that flooded in through the overhead windows. Stunning. And she was all mine!

She was grinning broadly when she leaned over me and kissed me on the cheek. "I am all yours Edward." She whispered into my ear, making me shiver. "We'd better get back, Alice will not be amused with us."

"I have no doubt that we will be less than her favourite siblings right now, but all is not lost my dear. If we hurry we'll be on time. Come." I offered her my hand and helped her down off the boat. I locked the door to the shed behind me and then we ran, hand in hand, back to the house.

"Let me see if I've got this right Ed, you and Bella took off North towards the clearing, hunted a little but you somehow ended up arriving back from your dinner from the east?" Emmett asked with a smirk.

"So?" I asked hoping that would be the end of the interrogation. What Emmett was thinking next told me that was not to be.

"Okay, I won't ask for specifics, but, you gotta tell a bro, on the boat or somewhere in the shed?"

Jasper began chuckling to himself and I shot him a look clearly designed to tell him to stop thinking the scenarios he was thinking. He quickly went back to his magazine. Emmett, however, wasn't done.

"Emmett you know I'm never going to answer a question like that so you shouldn't bother asking. Secondly why do you want to know?" I was creeped out.

Jasper snorted again and I punched him in his arm, he rubbed it absently but never took his eyes off his book.

"I said I didn't want to know specifics dude, that'd just be gross. I just wondered that's all. Cause if it had've been me I'd have done it on the banquette." He chuckled and turned his attention back to the game on the television.

I shuddered at the thought of him and Rose having done it on the same banquette. Suddenly I felt like I needed another shower, despite having just had one. I was lost in the thought until I heard Emmett guffaw loudly beside me. He leant over and bumped his fist against Jaz' and I knew I'd given myself away. Fuck.

"Knock it off." I snarled as they began laughing at the expression on my face.

"Don't worry Eddie, we won't spill to Bella." He looked to Jasper who nodded sagely but with a huge grin on his face.

"Fuckers." I whispered.

"Language!" Esme roared from somewhere on the second floor and I cringed.

"Sorry Esme." The three of us said in unison.

**BPOV**

I was having trouble tying the band that ran around my top and I could already hear Alice calling me, asking if I was ready. "In a second." I called back to her.

No matter how I tied the bow it still looked odd. One end too long while the other was too short. In the end I looped the two ends through each other and let the two ends hang down however they bloody well wanted.

We were only expecting Seth and Chloe tonight so I didn't know why we all had to dress up. Alice had put the garment bag in our bathroom, as had been her usual modus operandi when I needed clothing for an occasion.

I wondered if she did it to Jasper too?

Edward had showered first while I talked to my mother online for a few minutes. When he was done we swapped, Edward using our bedroom to get dressed while I showered. He was gone when I came out though and I could now hear him talking with his brothers in the living room.

I slicked on a little lip-gloss and ran my brush through my hair once more and then I stepped out of the bathroom. Alice was perched on our bed waiting for me. She looked me over then walked over and retied the bow perfectly. Show off!

"That colour is lovely on you Bella."

"Thanks, I like the skirt." I didn't think I would when I saw it online but she had been right to buy it. It was a soft fawn colour and fell in soft waves to mid calf. It had two layers that fell over one another and ended in a handkerchief hemline. Alice had teamed it with a cream colored off the shoulder peasant top. It had a dozen tiny material covered buttons down the front and it was cinched in with the matching tie that I'd found so hard to do. There was a pair of shiny brown court shoes at the foot of the bed that I assumed would complete my outfit.

"Do you want me to do your hair?" She asked but I shook my head no.

"I like it down, but thanks." I told her.

"Let's go then." She pointed to the shoes and I slid them on, marveling at their soft texture, especially as I knew they were brand new. Alice called out for Rose and Esme as we came to the second floor landing and pretty soon the four of us were heading down the stairs, one at a time, as we had on my first date with Edward. Only this time I wasn't quite so nervous.

**EPOV**

"I don't know about you lot but I'm sick of wearing suits." Emmett complained as he tugged at his shirt collar for the hundredth time already.

"You know Alice will just tell you it's a dance and a suit is what you wear to a dance, so give it up Em." Said Jasper as Emmett rolled his eyes.

"You're such a conformist." Emmett whined.

"Yeah, like you've got the balls to go against what Rose wants." I spun to look at who had said that and was shocked to hear that it was actually Carlisle. He stood behind the sofa wearing a navy pinstriped suit himself. He too was tugging at the collar. I laughed and he shot me a withering look. I actually liked wearing a suit so I figured I should just shut the hell up.

The sound of heels on the glass stairs made the four of us sit up and pay attention. As was the norm Rosie was the first down the stairs and Emmett came to the bottom step, kissed her on the mouth and led her by the hand out the backdoor and onto the decking.

Alice followed soon after and Jaz repeated Emmett's move by meeting her at the foot of the stairs, kissing her and then taking her outside.

Bella descended next and I drew in a calming breath as I got my first look at her for the night. She was perfect, of course. The floaty skirt skimmed her calves and the blouse was pretty and feminine. I noticed she had refreshed her contacts and her eyes were that lovely dark brown once more. She smelled of lilacs and freesias as I bent to kiss her glossy lips, tucking her arm through mine and leading her out onto the decking.

"You look so lovely Isabella. Thank you for accompanying me tonight." I told her as I held my hand out toward her for the first dance of the evening.

She giggled like the teenager she was, said thank you, took my hand and let me twirl her towards me…and we were off.

As the music came to a close on the fourth dance of the evening we all stopped and stood still as we heard the car on the gravel drive. I knew it was Sam stopping to drop off Seth and Chloe, I could hear their thoughts long before the others locked onto Seth's scent. I whispered to Bella that our guests had arrived and she took in a large gulp of the clean air around us.

Carlisle and Esme excused themselves from the dance floor and went to the front door to welcome them. I looked over Bella's shoulder as they came into the foyer. Seth looked so grown up in his suit and Chloe was a picture in a pretty pink top and skirt not unlike Bella's. Seth looked proud and he was smiling widely as he bought his girl out onto the deck for introductions all round.

Chloe was beaming, very pleased to not only have been invited to the Cullen residence but also because she would have Seth all to herself for the evening. She talked politely with Esme and Alice for a few moments while Seth and Bella gravitated towards each other, sharing a brief hug and a few words of encouragement. Seth whispering to Bella how proud of her he was that she could withstand school today and now this dance with Chloe there. Bella telling Seth how happy she was that he was here and had bought his girl along. I stood slightly to one side and watched the unfolding scene. Chloe watched Seth as he stood talking with Bella, Seth watched Bella as she spoke but threw many glances at Chloe over Bella's shoulder. He was eager to begin the dancing and hold her in his arms for the first time.

I nodded to Emmett who pushed some buttons on the jukebox and the soft strains of The Everly Brothers' hit from the 50's All I Have to do is Dream came floating from the machine. I looked to where Carlisle and Esme stood and watched them smile at each other, I knew this was a favourite of theirs, it having been played at their third or fourth wedding, I didn't recall which one.

I moved closer to Bella, placing a hand at her elbow, I bowed slightly and asked if I could please have this dance.

"Yes of course." She curtsied prettily and I smiled my very best crooked smile. She put her hand in mine and we were soon swirling our way around the floor yet again.

'Watch Seth.' I told her, knowing she was listening intently. She nonchalantly looked over my shoulder and grinned when Seth copied my action and bowed his head toward Chloe then asking if she'd like to dance.

"They're so cute." Bella whispered, earning her a grin from Alice and Rose but a grimace from Seth himself. Wolf hearing!

**BPOV**

I was so happy for Seth. He was as smitten with Chloe as she was with him by the looks of it. They were dancing a little cautiously but dancing all the same. Seth seemed light on his feet and he looked like he knew what he was doing. Chloe looked nervous but happy. I wanted to ask Edward what they were thinking but didn't want to encroach on their privacy. Edward was grinning broadly as he lumped me around the dance floor.

I wish I were graceful like Rose or fluid like Alice. Even Esme looked like a professional dancer. I was improving, thanks to Rose and Jaspers ministrations but I was nowhere near as competent as they all were.

'_Stop worrying and let me lead you beautiful girl.' _Edward chuckled as he thought it and I snapped my eyes up to his to see him smiling down at me. I mouthed 'sorry' at him and tried to concentrate harder.

After the third song Esme and Carlisle went into the house. I heard Esme setting out glasses and pitchers of drinks as Carlisle whispered to her how lovely she looked tonight. Edward grinned down at me, '_Have I told you how lovely you look out here in the moonlight Isabella?'_ Edward asked me silently and I shook my head softly.

I tucked my head up under his chin and let him pull us around the floor once again. He held me to him closely and felt him kiss my hair lightly.

Each time we passed Seth and Chloe as we made our way around the little floor Seth was smiling. I couldn't see Chloe's face as she had it buried into his chest much as mine was in Edward's, so I guessed she was pretty happy to be where she was too.

Esme came outside with the tray of refreshments for the humans and the music was turned down significantly while Seth and Chloe moved towards the tables and chairs set up at the edge of the decking. We'd all have to make the effort to appear human tonight, for Chloe's sake, so I knew that at some stage I'd have to have a go at hiding the fact I wasn't drinking.

The lantern lights that Jasper had wrestled with this afternoon were all blinking happily above us and they gave the whole setting a warm glow.

Edward led me to a seat and he took the one opposite. Alice and Jasper went into the house but Emmett and Rose took a table too. Esme and Carlisle resumed dancing.

"Thanks for doing this." Seth was telling Edward.

"You're very welcome. But you should thank Alice, she organized it all." Edward replied. "Are you having a nice time Chloe?"

"Oh yes, do you do this a lot then?" She asked timidly. Whilst she didn't seem frightened to be here, near us, I got the impression that she wasn't exactly sure that we were real. Perhaps real wasn't the right word. Perhaps it was that she was having trouble deciding whether we were eccentric or nuts.

"Mom and dad like to dance. We don't do it a lot, but this is not the first time." He chuckled a little, which put Chloe more at ease. Seth was staring at her adoringly, stroking the back of her hand as it sat in his lap. I thought he was trying to hide that fact because he had pulled her hand under the table, keeping it all but hidden from the rest of us. But he wasn't fooling anyone.

'_He's got her hand in his lap, aren't they adorable?'_ Edward asked me while keeping a completely straight face and I had to work hard to stifle my giggle. Instead I threw him a wide smile and nodded minutely. _'Young love eh?'_ He grinned and threw me a wink.

**EPOV**

I stood and held my hand out for Bella and asked if she'd like to dance again and I was graced with the most beautiful smile as she accepted.

She had not mentioned or made a gesture to me regarding the status of her thirst so I put that out of my mind as best I could. Her control was flawless, even with Chloe in such close proximity. The night was far from warm but even I could smell the heat radiating from Chloe's body as she and Seth danced the night away. But, Bella had made no mention of needing to hunt again and I trusted her judgment.

Alice and Jasper came out of the house to join us, both of them wearing rather smug expressions. I shot Jasper a knowing smile and he fist bumped me on his way past. They'd been making out in the living room this whole time. Gross.

Emmett was swaying back and forth with Rosie in his arms at the far edge of the dance floor, murmuring sweet nothings into her ear as she pressed herself into his chest. It was a very sweet thing to see from a couple who's usually outlandish displays of affection were much more aggressive than this gentle scene.

Carlisle had Esme's hand clasped in his and he held it against his chest as they danced. Esme had her eyes closed as they swayed. Carlisle too was murmuring to her though Esme had her eyes closed, a loving smile on her lips as Carlisle replayed his memories of the first time they'd danced this way to her.

Seth and Chloe were far less affectionate than the long established couples around us, though they were as close as they could be physically. Seth had his hand on her lower back, her right hand in his left, her cheek against his. When they made their next circuit I could see that Chloe too had her eyes shut as he guided them through the steps of the waltz. Seth was smiling widely and I could tell from the happiness in his head that he would be quite content to stay exactly as he was indefinitely. I caught his eye on the next turn and he smiled, showing me his perfect white teeth in a cheeky grin. I tilted my head as if to ask how he was going? _'This is the best night of my life.' _He told me silently and I returned his smile. _'I want to kiss her.'_ He thought, though I was pretty sure that thought wasn't meant for me to hear, so I increased the pressure of my hand on Bella's back and she tilted her eyes up to meet mine.

'Darling, I think we should slip away for a bit. Seth and Chloe need a little privacy, first kiss.' I told her and she gasped quietly, smiling broadly. She threw Seth a quick glance and then she returned her eyes to mine and nodded. She too began flicking her eyes around the area looking for a way to manufacture some privacy for them.

There was no way to let the others know without tipping my hand to Seth that I knew his intentions. I couldn't rely on Alice to 'see' what Seth had chosen to do either because she couldn't 'see' Seth anymore. I wasn't sure I could make this happen for him, getting the family to give him ten minutes of privacy without it looking like a mass exodus. Bella, however, was far smarter than I was.

She left the embrace of my arms and tilted her head towards Seth and Chloe. I watched her with a mixture of intrigue and fascination as she caught Seth's eye and nodded, he replied with his own nod and returned to his dancing.

I still had no idea what she was planning but it was obvious that she knew exactly what she was doing.

Next she tapped Rose on the shoulder, she turned to her winked then stepped away from Emmett and flicked a few buttons on the jukebox. Then she resumed her dancing as if nothing had occurred.

Nothing seemed to have changed however. Everyone was still dancing as they had been, nobody had changed direction or slipped away as I was trying to manufacture. I was about to ask Bella what the deal was when the current song faded and the next began. At once the women in my family began to nod at one another from their places around the small space and it dawned on me, this was a set up! They'd planned this.

Whatever it was that was about to happen had been planned well in advance. All four women knew what they had to do because the three of them I could read were chanting their instructions in their heads.

Bella returned to me and retook her position in my arms, tugging me away so I'd resume our dance as if nothing had occurred. It was obvious it was designed so that Chloe wouldn't ever know that this opportunity – whatever it turned out to be – was a manufactured one.

Alice and Jasper passed by us as they twirled through their routine and Alice caught my eye. _'We're going to slip away now Edward. Rose and Emmett will follow then Carlisle and Esme. When you're ready come away too.'_ And with that she tugged on Jasper's hand and led him into the house.

Two minutes later Rose pulled Emmett into the house, winking at me as she went by. Carlisle and Esme followed a moment later. Bella smiled up at me cheekily the moment the door to their suite closed behind them. That was obviously my cue.

'Come away with me beautiful girl.' I told her. She let me pull her off the dance floor and through the back door. But it was her who pulled me straight through the house and out the front door and down the driveway to the trees across the road. I didn't know why we couldn't stay in the house like the others but I was eager to see where she'd take me, so I followed obediently.

When we reached the tree line she broke into a run. We went a short way, maybe four miles then she stopped tugging on my hand and turned to face me. She reached up and cupped my face in her warm little hands. Grinning from ear to ear she pulled my lips onto hers.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41 Calm

BPOV

It was obvious that he had no idea why I'd had to take him so far away from the house just now. For a smart guy he really was pretty dumb.

I kissed him softly and then let his cheeks go. I waited while he formed the obvious question in his head then answered before he spoke it out loud. "Because they deserve some privacy Edward. Can you read them from here?" I asked and he shook his head. "Good, then I've judged the distance quite well." I giggled. "I assume it will be the first kiss for both of them, I just thought they should have the chance to make it as special as mine was."

He pulled me to him using my hips and I melted into his chest. He inhaled my hair, "You're so perfect." He whispered, kissing me just below my ear in the spot he knew I loved best.

"Not perfect, just sentimental." I giggled again.

"My first kiss was pretty amazing, shall I tell you about it Isabella?" He rasped against the skin at my shoulder. I felt myself sway against him as pleasure swept through me. All I could do was nod. His soft chuckle told me he'd felt my reply. His teeth nipped their way from my shoulder back to the shell of my ear and I shivered from head to toe as he dipped his tongue into my ear. "I was so nervous I was sure she could feel me trembling beside her." He began slowly. "It was also my first ever date. She was ethereally beautiful as she came to me down the stairs that night." He ran his tongue along my neck again and made the trek back down to my shoulder and down to my collarbone, suckling my skin into his warm wet mouth.

"Unngh." Or at least something as unintelligible as that escaped my mouth when I felt his teeth nip me there too. I steadied myself by putting my arms onto his shoulders, lacing my fingers together at the nape of his neck. It was all I could do to just hang on to him while his lips did their delicious work on my body, his words on my soul.

"She was the most beautiful creature I'd ever seen. She smelled like sunshine and strawberries, she was intoxicating." He crooned against my throat. I turned my head as he made his way up the other side of my neck towards my other ear. His warm breath made me shudder again and he closed his arms around me tighter, hugging me to him harder. "I'd loved her from afar for nearly her whole mortal life. I'd waited for the chance she was giving me for over a decade." The love in his voice as he retold me our story rang out around us in the quiet forest. He placed another wet kiss against my ear before continuing. "I spent an age staring at her lips, so plump, so innocently sensuous. She had no idea how wantonly sexual she was." His voice became gravelly. "She had no idea how badly I wanted her. No idea what she did to me merely by breathing." He was panting heavily, shifting his weight from foot to foot in front of me. "She tortured me for weeks, always sucking her bottom lip or biting it between her teeth. I wanted it, craved it, needed it to be between mine." He punctuated this with little harder nips of his teeth back down my neck to my other collarbone. My blouse was conveniently already off the shoulder in style and this gave him plenty of exposed skin to suckle. He ran a row of tiny kisses along the uppermost edge of the material, from one shoulder to the other, in a line across the top of my breasts. I sucked air in over my teeth loudly as his tongue swept his venom across my skin. The cool night air making it sting in the most glorious way as it dried on my flesh.

He moved his hands lower on my back until he was cupping my ass cheeks in his hands, splaying his fingers and pulling me to him harder. I was wedged up against his chest, his erection pushed firmly into my belly. I groaned loudly as he bucked once, then twice, showing me how much he wanted me.

"She let me pull her to me as we were sat on a bench outside that night. I was so nervous, I so wanted it to be perfect. I kissed her here first." He placed the lightest of kisses at the corner of my mouth, just as he had that night at the dance. "And then I kissed her here." He kissed me on my jaw and then again at the corner of my lips. "I wanted to kiss her lips, so so badly, but was scared to. She was so fragile, so exquisite. But she knew what she wanted." He ran his tongue over the outside of my bottom lip, making me squeal slightly with want. I groaned when he did it again, earning another buck of his hips as my reward. "As I was turning to kiss her chastely she turned the opposite way and claimed my lips with hers. I was gone, I was hers, only hers, forever more." As the last syllable left his lips he pulled me to him roughly, my feet almost leaving the ground, and took my lips with his.

**EPOV**

I was torturing myself reliving our first kiss and it was the sweetest torture I'd ever had to endure. Every groan, every hiss, every squeak she made felt like a prize.

I had to have her mouth. I had to possess it, her. I had to make her mine in every way I could. I'd never let her go. Not ever.

I deepened the kiss by parting my lips and sucking her tongue into my mouth. Her lips and teeth were coated with her venom and I sucked it down hungrily, loving her flavour. Nothing could intoxicate me more than my Bella's venom straight from the source!

She curved herself up against me, rubbing her breasts against the stiffness of the material at the front of my suit. I let go of her ass and bought one hand up between us and stroked her nipple through her blouse. The deep rumbling purr she swapped from her mouth into mine elicited a growl from me in response. I pulled the top edge of her blouse down and ran my thumb over the raised letters of her tattoo. Mine.

Letting her lips go I held her away from me slightly and bent my head and took the ink into my mouth. I pulled on it roughly, loving the feel of it in between my lips. She'd marked herself with my name for all eternity. Mine.

She began to tug at my hair with her little fingers. She needed more.

I stood, kissed her briefly once more and then began to walk her backwards until she was flush up against the closest tree trunk. Her eyes were closed and she was panting heavily, dragging in air over her swollen bottom lip. I nipped it again with my teeth before returning my mouth to its work at her breast.

She bought her hands in front of her and began to ball my tie in her fingers, pulling me closer, still needing more.

I let the material of her top fall once again to its proper place against her chest and reached for her skirt, balling it in my hand, bunching it up until I felt her warm, soft flesh under my hand. I cupped her thigh in my hand and pulled it up and over my own, I waited until she steadied herself, bracing herself against the tree and then I ran my hand the entire length of her leg.

I used my fingertips to make my way from her delicate ankle to her knee, dipping my fingers behind it and into the soft flesh there. She whimpered and I grinned to myself. I ran my hand up the underside of her thigh and gripped her ass firmly. She rocked forwards bringing her sex in contact with my aching cock.

I drew in a huge breath. I could feel her heat even through her skirt and my trousers. I knew she'd be wet for me and I could smell just how much she wanted me. With her firm round ass in my hand I slid my fingers under her and slipped my index finger under the elastic of her panties, running it from back to front until it was coated with her delicious essence. So wet. The fabric of her panties was soaked. I wanted them.

Holding onto her lower back with my free hand I tugged the panties down her thighs, letting her leg fall back to the ground, then I pulled them off and held them before her. "These are mine now Isabella." I told her and watched her eyes widen as I slid them into my suit jacket pocket. I wanted to savor them at my leisure.

While she had both her feet on the ground I used my free hand to undo my belt, letting it fall aside as I undid the buttons and then the fly of my suit pants. I pushed them to my ankles, taking my boxers with them. I never let her eyes leave mine as I reached once again for her thigh, bringing it back to mine and using my hand to guide it around my back until she was effectively straddling me.

I put my hand at her hip and positioned myself so that I was at her entrance, her skirt bunched up between us. I held her gaze, watched as she licked her bottom lip and then I very purposefully growled 'mine' into her waiting mouth as I plunged myself into her fully.

**BPOV**

'Mine' I replied silently, knowing he'd be able to read me now that he was, finally, inside me.

'_Finally?'_ he asked as he began to rock against me in long, languid strokes. '_Finally Isabella? You mean you wanted this all along…dirty girl…my dirty girl…Ahh…' _his mental voice was haggard and raspy as he thrust into me with more force.

'Yes…this is what I wanted…so good…more, I need more…' I told him and felt him spread his feet a little wider, making his hot length push upwards into me at such an angle that he hit my sweet spot on the first stroke, making me see stars and come undone before he had a chance to withdraw and stroke into me again.

'_Oh god Bella…that's it baby…cum for me…yeah, like that…you like that…that's the spot for you isn't it baby…' _I was nodding frantically, unable to even put a mental voice to the pleasure that was rushing through me as I climaxed on him.

He stilled and let me ride out the bulk of my orgasm and then he was stroking again, bringing me closer and closer to another. 'Tell me Edward…' I begged. He knew what I needed to hear. We both needed it, always needed it.

He didn't disappoint. The strangled growl that escaped his mouth was only matched for intensity by the pressure of his strokes as he told me.

Each thrust punctuated a word.

'_Mine…you're…fucking…mine…only…mine…feel…so…fucking…good…too…_

_fucking…good…baby…'_ he kept plunging into me even as I came undone again. He knew I loved possessive Edward, he knew what I needed to bring me off, he knew me heart and soul. '_That's it…keep cumming for me…that's it…so good…so wet…so beautiful…' _he cried in his mind, his own release building with each stroke.

'I love you baby' I told him, watching his gorgeous face squint in pleasure as he pushed and pulled me onto him harder and harder, searching for his release. 'Take me with you Edward…oh god…take me with you…harder, there…yes…oh yes…only you, only ever you…mine…' and he was spilling inside me, grunting against my shoulder, biting down, his teeth sinking into my flesh as he flexed his knees and gave me one last, heavenly shove, taking me with him just as I'd asked him to.

'_Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god Bella…' _He trailed off as he rode out the waves of his orgasm inside me. I leaned back a little and let him collapse further against me as he panted his way through the last of it. '_I love you so much baby' _he told me as spasmed for the last time, spent.

"I love you too Edward." I whispered against his hair.

We stood like that for quite a while until we couldn't maintain the contact any longer. We stepped apart, hissing slightly as the connection between us was lost to the night.

I watched as he tucked himself back into his trousers and straightened his shirt and tie. He held me steady while I adjusted my own clothing and then he wrapped his arm around my waist and began to steer us back towards the house.

"May I have my knickers back Edward?" I asked, a slight giggle in my voice.

He turned to me, cupped my chin in his palm and kissed me hard. "No Isabella, I told you, they are mine now." He patted his pocket and smirked at me evilly.

"I see. So I am supposed to go home commando am I?" I asked, laughing the whole time.

"Yep." He popped the p like Alice would and I giggled again. "I have to say Bella, I fucking love skirts."

**EPOV**

The entire family was once again dancing when Bella and I made our way back out onto the decking. Carlisle shot me a knowing glance but said nothing. I mouthed 'hunting' to Emmett when he shot me a questioning look but he wasn't buying it either.

I thought we'd done a good job of concealing our activities from them up until Alice asked me, silently of course, why Bella had tree bark stuck to the back of her blouse.

As I took her into my arms to begin the dance I swept my hand up her back, finding nothing. I looked to Alice who burst out laughing and buried her head in Jasper's chest. I shook my head in disgust and swept Bella back into the centre of the little dance floor, pointedly ignoring my whole family.

Though it was getting late and Sam would be returning soon to collect both Seth and Chloe neither of them was ready to relinquish their hold on the other.

Seth and Chloe were _still_ dancing. Of course Seth's physical stamina would never wane but Chloe was human so it was a surprise that her mind contained no trace of being tired. In fact, she was hoping the night would never end.

I caught Seth's eye as we came near him on one of our passes and he smiled widely at me. '_Thanks dude.' _He told me as he danced his way back toward the others. I tipped my head to let him know he was welcome and then I returned my concentration to the beauty in my arms. Who I noticed was now trying to stifle a yawn.

"Bella?" I asked softly, pulling her away from me a little so I could see her lovely face.

"Just a little tired baby." She was smiling but I knew she had had enough for one night.

I swung her out and away from me in a slow twirl, she bowed slightly then twirled her way back in to me. "Thank you for dancing with me beautiful girl, but now it's time for bed." I told her and she nodded.

We said our goodnights; stopping to let Seth know I'd come down with Sam arrived to collect them and then I took my tired fiancé up to bed.

She had fallen asleep within seconds of me tucking her into our big bed. She had mumbled something about not wanting to be left to sleep too long and then she was gone. I held her to me as she snuffled and mumbled through her slumber.

I stroked her beautiful chocolate brown curls and rubbed the curve of her hip and the dip at the base of her spine as she slept.

I watched as her eyelashes fluttered as she dreamt. I would never tire of watching her like this, so resplendent, so peaceful, so beautiful.

I slid my arm under the blankets and rubbed along her belly where our baby grew. The hard little lump was becoming more prominent though it was still invisible to anyone who saw Bella with her clothes on. I smirked to myself when I thought about the fact that nobody but me had _ever_ seen her with her clothes off and never, ever would.

She truly was only mine, as I was and would be only ever hers.

When Bella had been asleep for just over and hour I heard Sam's car in the driveway. I hated to leave her but she wouldn't wake for a few hours yet, so I slid out from underneath her and waited until she was settled against her pillow before I tucked the blankets in around her and made my way back downstairs.

Sam was stood talking to Carlisle and Esme, I said my hellos and told him I'd go tell Seth he was here.

Going out through the backdoor I found the dance floor deserted. The others having gone off on their own.

Seth was seated at one of the outdoor tables with Chloe in his lap. He was kissing her, deeply, and she was sighing softly as he stroked her back with his fingers. I gave a soft cough and she jumped off him in fright.

"Ahh, sorry to interrupt. Seth, Sam's here to collect you." I was just as mortified having busted them as they were to be busted. I turned and went back inside, letting them gather themselves before they came in.

I heard the unmistakable sounds of their kisses again as I closed the door behind me. Young love indeed.

"They're on their way." I told Sam who chuckled a little as I said it. He was thinking what could be keeping them and he wasn't too far off the mark in his thinking.

"Seth said Bella went well at school today Edward?" He asked while we waited. I was happy to tell him that she had done very well indeed. We passed the time making firmer plans for my foray into the world of extreme sports for Sunday and when Seth finally joined us he confirmed that he'd be jumping too.

Chloe looked worried about it, thinking it wasn't safe, but it wasn't my place to set her right. If Seth wanted her to know what he was he'd tell her.

I shook both Seth and Sam's hand, told Chloe it had been a pleasure having her with us and then waved as they left the driveway.

"Are you really going cliff diving on Sunday Edward?" Carlisle asked as we went back into the house.

"Yeah." I said, running a hand through my hair. "It sounded like fun and I've never done it before."

"Well, goodnight dear." Esme blew me a kiss and took Carlisle's hand, leading him up to their suite.

I wished them both goodnight and settled down at my piano bench. It had been weeks since I'd played anything of substance.

**BPOV**

I woke to the sounds of my lullaby being played on the ground floor.

All else was silence.

I untangled myself from the bedclothes and looked out over the yard. The dark blue of the night sky was beginning to lose its war with the sun coming over the river. I looked at the clock and saw that it was four am. I'd slept for five hours; this was beginning to be the norm for me.

I threw on some jeans and a t-shirt and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and hair.

The face that met me in the mirror seemed to belong to someone else. The last pair of contact lenses were still in my eyes and although they were rapidly dissolving they were still visible. I looked slightly more like I used to when I was human. I was very pale of course, but the eyes…my eyes looked almost like they did before I was changed. No wonder Edward had had such a strong reaction to seeing me wearing them.

I used my cupped hands to scoop water up from the basin and I flushed out my eyes, dislodging the contacts and freeing me from their annoyance once and for all. When I looked in the mirror I was back to what I knew as normal.

My eyes still had a dark crimson tinge to them though it was much, much less obvious now that I had mastered the art of vegetarianism. I looked more closely and saw that it was now just the merest ring of crimson surrounding my irises that had turned a light topaz colour already. A few more weeks I told myself before I dried my face on the hand towel and went downstairs to find everyone.

It wasn't a shock to see Edward at the piano but it was startling to see the six other vampires of the house sitting silently and absolutely still on various sofas and ottomans in a ring around the baby grand.

'_Come sit by me baby.'_ Edward asked of me without looking up from his playing. I crossed the room, stopping to put a soft hand on Esme's shoulder as I passed. She angled her head back and smiled at me indulgently as I moved past her.

Edward scooted over to make room for me on the bench and I slid in beside him with ease. He turned only to bestow upon me a glorious smile before he bowed his head over the keys once more.

I watched in awe as his beautiful long fingers flew over the shiny keys. I watched the muscles in his thighs clench and tense as he pushed the foot pedals below all the while his lips stayed pursed in deep concentration.

My lullaby came to its natural conclusion and Edward turned himself to face me a little. He bent and kissed me softly at the corner of my mouth whispering good morning to me.

"Good morning Edward." I replied. "Will you play some more please?" I asked and he nodded.

Esme began humming quietly as Edward resumed his playing. This was obviously something Esme enjoyed, perhaps it was a favourite of hers? I whispered how lovely the tune was to him and he nodded but didn't take his eyes off the keys.

'_This is Esme's lullaby Bella.' _As soon as I heard his thought I whipped around on the bench and looked to where Esme sat. She had her eyes closed and her lips were curled up into a lovely smile. She hummed along as Carlisle stroked her arm as it lay in his lap.

I looked to my brothers and sisters and found them all in similar poses. Alice was actually lying in Jasper's lap and he was running his hands through her hair. Emmett was laid out along the length of the largest sofa with Rose sitting against his chest. She had his hands in hers across her belly, he tapped them in unison to the music.

Apart from Carlisle who was staring off into space they all had their eyes closed. Jasper was tapping his foot along with the rhythm but apart from that the only movement in the house was the movement of the other three Cullen mens hands.

I turned back to face the piano and watched for a while as Edward played. He never let one melody fully subside before he would launch into the next. Each lovelier than the last. His upper body swayed gently as he used the extensive keyboard, reaching both left and right for the furthest keys.

He was beautiful. He was so wrapped up in the music I doubted anyone or anything could've steered him away from it. It was the calmest I'd felt since being changed. That included the times Jasper had used his gift to project a sense of calmness over me. It was a very pleasant feeling, to be so relaxed after such a tumultuous time.

I put a hand on his thigh and felt the familiar jolt of electricity. Still he did not waver.

I leaned over and put my head on his shoulder. "Thank you." I whispered.

"For what?" He asked very softly so as to not disturb the others.

"For being you." I told him and he smiled.

**EPOV**

I played for hours that morning. Long after the sun came up I could still be found at the bench pressing out tune after tune. The others slowly drifted away and went about their business, though Bella stayed by me the longest of them all.

By mid morning I was taking requests, the others trying desperately to come up with some obscure piece of music to trip me up. I did pretty well. I had to improvise a few times but they didn't notice, or at least they didn't seem to.

Bella came by quite a few times and pressed a soft kiss to my hair or to caress my cheek as she went about her chores. She was so happy this morning, a radiant smile on her face as the day progressed. I did wonder what bought on her good mood but didn't want to ask lest it break the spell. The house was carefree for once, everyone humming or actively singing in Esme's instance, along as the music flooded the space. The mental voices around me were calm too, for once. Nobody was worried, nobody was tense, and nobody was on the alert for any danger. Nobody was concerned for Bella, the baby, her change, her thirst, our secret or the future.

For once I dared to wish that this were how it would always be.

Everyone – everyone but me that is – pitched in to dismantle the decorations from last night's festivities. I was told to remain at the piano and play, so I did.

Everyone had a good giggle about the set up for Seth's first kiss and I duly told them all about busting them later on as well. Emmett was particularly proud of Seth for having 'done his manly duty' as he put it. I had no idea what he thought Seth's manly duty should have been, but according to Emmett he surpassed his expectations. Fair enough.

Alice packed away the lantern lights and Jasper carried the rented jukebox to the foyer to await the van that would collect it. Rose collected the torchlights and stowed them back in the garage. Bella and Esme tidied the kitchen and did laundry while Carlisle continued his research up in his study. I tried to offer assistance only to be told, over and over, that I was the hired musical help today and to just sit and play. I was happy to oblige, it felt so good to play.

At around eleven the van arrived to collect the jukebox and when it was gone down the driveway everyone went off to their various individual pursuits. With nothing pressing to do I took Bella off up to our room to lounge about on our new sofa. We'd not had a moment to really enjoy the room as yet so I was eager to see what it was like 'vegging in front of the box' as Emmett called it.

It turned out to be a most pleasant experience. Bella took one end of the sofa, I took the other. Halfway through a show entitled 'The Gilmore Girls' – as far as I could tell it was about a woman and her daughter who dated far too many men and fell in love more often than they changed their underwear, but Bella seemed enamored with it so I watched too – Bella swung her legs up onto the couch and put them in my lap. I automatically began to rub her toes making her hum softly in pleasure. This I liked most about watching television. It gave me a chance to be with Bella in a normal, human way. It was a most enjoyable waste of two hours.

**BPOV**

I was beginning to get thirsty midway through the second episode of Gilmore Girls and was about to tell Edward, who I was hoping would volunteer to hunt with me, when I smelled the human.

"Delivery Bella." Alice called from the living room.

"Will you go down Edward?" I asked, knowing he'd wonder why I wouldn't.

"Yes of course, love." He put my feet back into the space he had occupied on the sofa and leant over me, kissing me on my forehead. "I've told you before Bella, you don't need to hide your thirst from me. It's who you are, love. I'll take the delivery and then we'll hunt."

I smiled widely at him, he knew me so very well. 'Thank you.' I mouthed and he jogged out the door. I listened as he signed for the parcel and closed the door behind him. He bought the brown wrapped parcel with him back up to our room and set it on the low table in front of the sofa.

"Shall we hunt beautiful girl?" He asked, holding his hand out to me. I nodded and let him lead me to the glass doors of the room. I watched as he jumped down and began to sprint towards the river. Not to be outdone I too jumped and ran after him, catching him easily, poking my tongue over my shoulder at him as I passed him and took off as fast as I could for our usual stomping ground.

I returned to the house sated and comfortable. We'd had a good hunt though we hadn't shared today. It was quick, clean and very satisfying. Edward had gone his own way though I could still hear his mental thoughts as he fed. I knew he didn't want to stray too far from me, even while he hunted.

I'd seen him do it before of course, not being able to see him but being able to hear him as he claimed his kill today was a new experience for me, quite surreal.

I fed as fast as I could, bringing down a smallish deer and sucking its blood down in a frenzy, hoping to be done before Edward was finished his own.

I stayed where I was, I didn't approach where I knew him to be, but I listened intently.

He studied the small gathering of deer before he made his choice, choosing one of three adolescent males. He stalked it slowly, stealthily and pounced as it fled in terror.

I heard his self-loathing in his thoughts as he sunk his teeth into its flesh. The satisfied grunt and the euphoria he felt as its life force ebbed and flowed down his throat were at odds with the thoughts swirling through his brain. He was sorry he had to take its life in order to sustain his own. He hated having to snuff out _anything_ in order to exist. He was all at once grateful that he'd spared another human life by taking the deers and equally as repulsed that his very existence meant the end for the creature.

When I knew he was coming to the end of his meal I moved closer until I could see him as well as hear him.

He kicked the body away in disgust – at himself – and straightened his clothing. He was sure to check he was clean of all traces of the animals blood. It was almost as if he was scared someone, I didn't know who, would see him with blood on him and be repulsed.

I met him with a wide smile when he came back to where he knew me to be and we'd run home together.

Now that I was fat and happily fed I wanted to know what the delivery van had bought me today. I knew there would be two charms today, to account for tomorrow being Sunday and I wondered if Edward had had the foresight to arrange for next week's charms today too since we'd be in Italy.

As if he really could read my thoughts he told me that there would be four charms for me to open on Thursday when we returned from our trip.

"And you say you can't read my mind?" I huffed teasingly.

"You were wondering, were you?" He asked, grinning.

"Yeah." I said as I tore open the brown paper, letting the pair of satin pouches spill into my waiting palm. "I feel so spoilt when I get two at a time. Four will be fantastic!" I told him as I began opening the lilac envelope marked 'me first'.

"I love you spoil you Isabella. I'm so happy you let me." He said as he perched on the edge of the sofa. He was so excited as he watched me open his gifts. I kept throwing him little smiles and loving the way his mind crowed in pleasure every time I did.

It took a lot of mental determination to turn my attentions back to the parcels in my hands. I slid my fingernail through the seam of the envelope and began to read. 'My dearest Isabella, I grow more and more desperate to be your husband with each passing day. With a mere twenty of them left between today and the day I finally get to say 'I do' I want you to have yet another piece of me with you, always. Add this charm to your bracelet and know that I am with you, forever, as you are with me, in my heart. I will love you into eternity, Edward xx'.

I let the tiny charm fall from the safety of its pouch and squealed in delight when I saw the filigree 'E' hanging from a tiny gold loop. "It's gorgeous Edward, I love it, thank you." I threw myself into his waiting arms and kissed all over his face and throat while he chuckled.

Holding my cheeks in his palms he kissed me deeply before pulling away and taking the charm from my fingers. I watched as he prized open the loop. I offered my wrist to him, he turned my hand over until it was palm up then bent to lay a soft kiss on it. I shivered involuntarily as he did it. It never ceased to amaze me that he could have such a profound effect on me even through something as simple as a kiss, but he did. He slid the charm into the next available gold link. He used his nails to close the loop and now I had Edward's initial not only branded on my skin but also on my bracelet.

I stared at it for a good, long minute. It really was lovely, almost the same curly script as his actual handwriting.

He broke my daydream by saying I had another that was still yet to be opened.

"Oh yes." I mumbled and reached for the second lilac envelope and its corresponding satin pouch. I slid the page from its paper case and read his words. 'My darling Isabella, Please add this charm to your bracelet right next to the one I gave you yesterday. Know that it is where it belongs, forever beside mine. In life and in eternity it's where you belong, right beside me. In 19 days you'll be right there with me at the altar and become my wife, to stand beside me forever. All love, Edward xx'.

I read it a second time and then I knew what the other charm would be. I smiled over at him and he knew I knew. The tiny gold 'B' slid out of the pouch and I couldn't help the giggle that escaped my lips.

"Bit of a dead giveaway, wasn't it?" He chuckled as he turned my wrist to accept his kiss again.

"But such a lovely one. They're very beautiful Edward." I watched him close the link as the B joined the E. he was right, it's where it belonged, side by side, forever.


	42. Chapter 42

**Author Note: I do not claim to have thought of the idea in this chapter. I have searched for hour upon hour to find the original story that the idea came from, to no avail. I have tried to find some other way to make the following events come about without using someone else's idea, but I cannot make it work. If anyone recognizes the idea from a story they may have bookmarked please – I'm begging you to please – email me the name, link, or author's name so I can properly credit them with the fantastic idea. Until then please know I am just not this creative! Filthy yes, creative no. ;)**

Chapter 42 Jasper's Theory

**EPOV**

Alice told Bella she would need at least two hours to get her ready for the clubbing outing tonight so I thought I would use that time to put a few more things away at the cottage. Emmett and Jaz said they'd help, eager to be away from the house while Alice played beauty shop. Nobody wanted to be caught in the middle of that!

That was how I found myself lying on my back on the grass in the courtyard of the cottage with Emmett sitting my chest, mirth in his eyes as he threatened me.

Jasper stood off to one side eager for his turn to question me. Of course that involved much the same things as Emmett was doing now, though from Jasper it would have the added bonus of being complete with artificial bursts of pain and or fear. Bastards!

"You're out of your fucking minds. I wont do it." I roared as I bucked to dislodge my brother.

"Why not? It's a fucking brilliant idea. I can't believe we haven't though of it before now!" He bellowed as he punched me in the jaw again.

Of course the punch hardly registered, but Emmett loved to punch.

I returned his punch with one of my own, right to his left cheek, which only made him smile wider. "Get the fuck off me Em." I twisted so that I was on my side. I had no idea what to do now to dislodge him but saw my chance as he thought of his next move. He sat back a little further in readiness to strike me again with his fist and as he did I wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him down so that he was lying beside me, facing me, on the ground. I mentally grimaced before executing my next move but I knew it was the only thing that would make Emmett leap off me.

I kissed him soundly on his cheek and he leapt away as if I'd sliced him open.

"You fucking pinko Eddie!" he roared. Jasper clutched his sides and howled in laughter all the while pointing at us as we moved to opposite corners of the enclosed yard.

"But I love you big bro, I don't think I show you that often enough. And don't call me Eddie you prick." I chuckled as Emmett scrubbed at his cheek violently.

"Fat lot of fucking good you were." He shot at Jasper who was now leaned over his knees gagging on his laughter.

"Sorry dude but that was priceless." Jasper gasped between guffaws.

"Yeah yeah, fucking hilarious." Emmett spat. "But that doesn't change anything, you have to do this with us Edward."

"No fucking way. I don't trust you bastards at all." I shook my head just as violently as Emmett had just scrubbed at his.

"I swear I won't take it too far Edward. I wouldn't do that to you man. You know that. Look in my head dude." Jasper offered as he came a little closer to me. I knew he thought _now_ that he'd not let it get out of hand but in the heat of the moment who knew how far he'd go.

"No way, not on your fucking life." I said making my way back into the cottage. "You don't even fucking know if it's possible dickhead." I told him when I heard him follow me inside.

"I know that, and it's still just a theory. But if it is possible, shit, how much fun could we have with it? Think about it dude. And it would be free!" He laughed.

I flopped down into one of the winged chairs in the little living room and waited for them both to come in. Jasper sat on the piano stool but Emmett very pointedly took a seat on the sofa, which was the furthest possible seating position from where I sat. He'd be smarting about me kissing him for a decade I'd wager.

"Okay, let's say that it's possible, and I'm not saying that I think it is because I don't think it is. Let's just say that you can do it, what then? What would be the point?" I asked.

"For fun dude." Emmett said with a straight face. I spent a few seconds looking into his brain and found that he too had begun to question why we didn't have any fun. Shit. I could feel myself being guilted into this and I didn't like it.

"How will you test it?" I asked Jasper who began to smirk, knowing he was in with a shot if he pitched his idea to me well enough. Even Emmett slid forward on his seat, eager to help sway me.

"Tonight, we're gonna test it tonight. At the club. Should be plenty of drunk dudes there and probably a couple of high ones too. I'll just suck up their emotions and project them onto Emmett. He's agreed to be the guinea pig." He reached over and I watched as they bumped fists across the divide in the room.

I sighed heavily. I didn't like this. Not at all. "How the fuck did you come up with a fucked up plan like this?" I asked.

"It was something Sam said." Emmett began. "When we were at the garage that day fixing the Beemer. He was asking us how Jaz' gift worked. When I said he could absorb feelings and then project them back he started laughing. I didn't get the joke but he said that could be a good party trick if used right."

"Emmett told me and I started thinking about it. I know it's possible, I just need to test it. And since we don't hang with anyone who gets drunk, other than the wolves that scare me shitless, there's only Charlie who I don't reckon would be up for it given his penchant for the law," both Jasper and Emmett rolled their eyes at that, "then Alice started talking about going clubbing. It all fit. I'll practice on Emmett tonight and if it works I'll do it for us all at your bucks night." He finished with a flourish of his hands like a magician who'd just finished his big act.

"You're fucking insane." I told them both but they just sat there grinning at me. I could hear the wheels in their heads turning at a frantic pace as their excitement about being drunk or stoned rolled through their brains. Oh shit.

**BPOV**

I loved the outfit Alice had chosen for me but it was so far left field from what I'd normally wear I was scared to be seen in public in it. Alice knew this but had just said I had to sit still while she finished my hair and make up.

Bella Barbie once again I thought sadly as I watched Alice slip the heated rollers out of my hair and put them back into their stand on her dresser.

My hair did look nice, I'd concede that. A long wave of huge curls fell over my shoulders and down my back. She'd pinned the sides up and away from my face in a style I'd never worn before and it made my eyes seem huge now that they weren't hidden.

"Will I have to wear contacts again tonight?" I asked as she dabbed more kohl pencil under my right eye.

"No, it'll be too dark in the club for anyone to see your eye colour anyway. Plus, the cigarette smoke in those places is going to bug your eyes enough anyway." She ran her thumb under my eye to smudge her handiwork and then she began to work on the other eye.

The pencil stilled in her hand and her eyes glazed over. I braced myself to find out what she'd just seen but relaxed when she began to giggle uncontrollably.

"What is it Alice?" I asked. She dropped the pencil back onto her dresser and went to sit on the edge of her bed, putting her head in her hands and laughing loudly.

"Oh god Bella, you're going to laugh so hard." She outlined the theory and how Jasper planned to use Emmett to test it tonight and I couldn't help but laugh along with her at the idea. "Have you ever been drunk Bella?" She asked, still giggling.

"Nope. I'm seventeen remember?"

"Do you think Edward will let Jasper project drunk onto him?" She asked quietly. She was still fiddling with the last touches of my makeup and I took a moment to think about what she'd asked.

"I don't know Alice, I really don't. Sometimes Edward seems so proper, very stiff and resolved to always do the right thing. But at other times, before he realizes he's let himself slip, he behaves exactly as a seventeen year old should. So I really don't know if he'll let them play with him that way."

"I think he'll wait to see how Emmett goes. If it goes okay I think he'll let them." She said, cocking her head to one side and staring at me intently in the mirror. "You're all done. Now bugger off and let me do my own." She laughed. I was happy to oblige.

**EPOV**

I heard Alice tell Bella she was done and to bugger off so I knew I'd get to see her in a few short moments. I was showered and dressed and ready to go and not a little bit nervous.

I still wasn't convinced this was a good idea but I was going along with what both Bella and Alice wanted. We'd all keep an eye on Bella and I hoped no harm would come to her tonight.

I was nervous to be going back to Port Angeles, it having been the scene of our first meeting with Laurent, but decided the odds on another meeting were slim.

My brothers were ready to leave too but we all knew Alice would not be rushed so we had taken our time at the cottage. Almost all the boxes that had been removed from our room at the main house were now unpacked there. All that remained was for Bella to sort through her own things and put them where she wanted them. Alice had wanted to do it for her but I'd told her no. The cottage was to be Bella's first home away from her parents and I wanted her to have the pleasure of placing her things herself.

I let the boys tell me more about their plot to get me drunk or stoned, or both god help me, at my bucks party. They were both so excited I found it hard to stay pissed at them. Their enthusiasm was catching. I had no doubt I'd hate feeling drunk and out of control but knew they'd love it all the same. Emmett in particular had always expressed his sadness at never being able to be drunk ever again. It seemed he'd quite enjoyed a drink as a mortal human. Jasper too had imbibed in his time, it having been a normal and natural party of his army life.

My only fear for my bucks night was that they'd go too far. I intended to have Charlie and the pack along that night and I didn't want to do anything Charlie wouldn't approve of. After all he had been good enough to give me his blessing to marry his daughter and had remained gracious even after he learned what I was. I didn't want to push my luck with the man.

I wondered idly what Bella would be doing for her hen night. I hoped Alice would go easy on her, I'd have to remember to search the women's heads well before that day came around!

"I don't think I'm having a hen night Edward." Bella whispered, coming up behind me and startling me from my thoughts. She wound her arms around my waist and pulled me back into her chest. She smelled divine, her perfume assaulted my nose as she circled me and came to stand directly in front of me at the windows.

"You smell so good baby." I whispered as I bent my head and inhaled into her hair. I laid a row of tiny kisses along her neck and felt her gasp. "Why aren't you having a hen night?" I remembered to ask when my brain went back to working properly. She did that to me, made me forget to think.

She moved away from me and went to our desk to retrieve her cell phone. I got my first full-length look at her and felt my prick stiffen as she bent slightly over the desk. Oh. My. Fucking. God. In. Heaven.

"That's as good a reaction as I could've hoped for." She giggled. "Didn't you see this outfit in Alice' head already Edward?"

I nodded mutely and she giggled again. "Jesus." Was all I could say as she came back towards me.

She did a little spin and let me see the whole effect Alice had created. The skirt was black but not as short as the one she'd worn to collect me from school, thank god. I wondered if she was wearing underwear this time?

She shot me a scathing look and I cringed, I'd been read, fuck. I threw her an apologetic look but I didn't really feel all that sorry for the errant thought. She came up close to me and put her fingers against my chest before purring into my open mouth, "If you're a good boy I might let you find out for yourself later." Did I mention fuck? I began to doubt the feasibility of me being good **at all **let alone later. She just laughed and kissed me lightly at the edge of my mouth then skipped off to the bathroom before I could respond.

It was then that I saw the lacing on the back of the skirt. It was crimson and it matched her top perfectly, obviously designed to be worn together. I watched as the little pleats of the skirt swayed and shimmied as she walked, the longer ties on the lacing swinging from side to side with the movement of her hips. They were laced together as a corset would've been, crisscrossed over each other to hold the skirt together at her back. Her top was frothy, that's what I'd call it, frothy. Two or three layers of the crimson material overlapping to make a cascading effect around her body. It had thin straps under which I knew she wasn't wearing any sort of bra. Oh. Shit.

I plunged my hand into the pocket of my jeans and adjusted myself so I was a little more comfortable. It was a futile attempt because now I noticed what was on her feet. Why was she doing this to me?

She had sinful black patent leather high-heeled boots on. Not as long as the ones she'd worn to the meadow, these ones came to just below her knee and were done up with six bright shiny silver buckles that started at the top of her foot, the last one ending where the top of the boot ceased. They were easily six inches high with dangerous looking spiked stiletto heels. If that wasn't enough torture already her legs were encased in thin filmy stockings. These too were black. They had a spiky pattern sewn into them that ran the length of the back of her leg. They reminded me of the nylons women wore when I was human, the long thin line of the seam running up the back of their legs. Holy hell.

The contrast between last night's demure skirt and peasant top was striking. She may have been my Bella-girl-next-door last night but tonight she was sin personified!

**BPOV**

I slicked on a last swathe of glossy red lipstick and went back out into our room. He was still gaping, still running the details of my outfit through his mind as he watched me walk back towards him. I held out my wallet and cell phone and waited for him to look down at them. He acknowledged in his head what they were but said nothing, he had no idea I was even talking.

"Edward!" I said a little more loudly, snapping my fingers in front of his eyes. He snapped his head up and looked at me through shining eyes. I think he was a little stunned still. "Edward, I'm not taking a bag, will I need these?" I asked and he looked down at my wallet and phone again.

"Um, no. Yeah, um…no." He mumbled and I giggled.

"Because that makes perfect sense." I mumbled in reply completely sure he'd not even register I'd spoken, again. "Are you ready to leave?" I asked.

"Yeah." He whispered. "One minute." He left me standing there and went to the closet. I saw him kneel down and take out the lockbox. I thought he was going for some cash but instead he returned with a thick silver rope chain in his hand. "This was amongst my mothers things when I cleaned out the house. I don't remember her wearing it. I thought it might match your cuff." He said, pointing to the wide silver cuff that was wound around my upper arm. I let him put the rope over my head and felt the cold chain settle around my neck. He smiled down at me and patted it where it came to rest against my throat. "Bella." He whispered, putting his lips against my jaw, "You look amazing, stunning."

"Thank you Edward. You look pretty edible yourself." I told him and he chuckled softly. He had charcoal colored dress pants on with a plain black button down shirt on. The sleeves of which he'd rolled until they sat just above his elbows. The only contrasting color on his whole body was the silver buckle at his waist, the platinum of his Cullen crest at his wrist and the white of the buttons on his shirt.

I leant over to him and undid another of the buttons on his shirt so he looked a little more casual and I caught him smiling when I returned my eyes to his.

'_Edible?'_ He asked me silently and I nodded.

I took a step back and surveyed the rest of him. He let his hands drop down to his sides as if to let me see the full effect of his ensemble.

His hair was a study in designer mess. I knew for a fact he didn't plan it and nothing he could do would ever tame it, but to anyone else it would always look as though he'd spent hours making it look just so.

I let my eyes travel down over his torso, past his perfect snaky hips, down his muscled thighs and to the boots at his feet. He was wearing black leather boots though these weren't his usual choice of footwear. These were real boots, with pointy toes and black stitched embroidery. These had a heel and they were seriously fucking hot! He looked taller, leaner than ever because the pants he had on were boot cut and tapered to his ankles perfectly.

A slight sense of dread washed over me as I took in the whole picture.

I was going to a nightclub with this Adonis. That meant hundreds of women would see him looking like this. I was well and truly fucked!

**EPOV**

Alice was preparing to call for us to come downstairs because the others were ready to leave. I was about to warn Bella of this fact when I noticed the expression on her face cloud over. Something had upset her. She took her bottom lip into her mouth as she had done as a human and I knew without having to read her that something was wrong.

I stepped towards her and folded her into my arms. She took a little gasp and I held her close. "What is it love?"

"Oh Edward. I don't want to go, please say we'll stay home." She whimpered.

I did the first thing I could think of, I called for Alice. She was in our room in half a second. She took one look at Bella's face and closed her eyes, searching for what was wrong. Then she began to giggle, loudly. I caught a flash of Bella sitting at a high table on a bar stool looking out over a crowd with a scowl on her face but nothing Alice showed me led me to the actual problem. "Ah, sorry Edward, this ones for you to sort out. I'll go wait downstairs, we're ready to leave when you are." And with that she was gone again.

I pulled Bella away from me and looked into her sad eyes. "Bella you have to tell me what's wrong."

"I just don't want to go, that's all Edward." She said, pushing her bottom lip out and pouting adorably.

"Okay, so we won't go. It's no big deal Bella. If you aren't ready to be around that many people it's alright." I thought I'd go fishing, see if her thirst was the problem. It wasn't.

"I'm not thirsty Edward, jeez. I can handle that, I went to school remember?" She pouted again. So I tried different bait.

"Will I not blend in then?" I asked, half laughing. I wasn't fishing for compliments but I knew she'd bite anyway.

"Of course you'll fit in, that's the fucking problem." She huffed. Aah. Bella was jealous and we hadn't even gotten there yet. Welcome to my fucking world beautiful! Bella scowled at me darkly, I'd been read, and for a change I was glad.

I swept her up into my arms and hugged her tightly. I was laughing as I brushed my lips against hers and she joined me a few seconds later, she'd read me and now she knew I knew. I sure did miss her tell tale blush!

She swatted playfully at my arm as I thought about her blush and she turned her face up to meet mine. "Every single girl there is going to go bat shit when she sees you Edward. I'm not sure I'm ready to handle that, I can't share you. I wont share you." She said defiantly. She had to know that those four simple words, 'I wont share you' were the best fucking thing she'd ever, ever said to me!

I smiled down at her and watched her eyes as I spoke. "Oh baby, that's so sweet of you to say but you've got it all wrong. Nobody will be looking at me they'll all be following you. I can't say I'm looking forward to the thoughts of the boys at the club, that's for sure. We can stay home if you really don't want to go, but don't stay home because of something as silly as girls looking at me." I held her close and used my thumb and index finger to tilt her chin up so that I could kiss her cherry red lips. "Stay home because you want to ravish me, but don't be put off by what others are thinking. I choose you, I chose you, it's you I want, only you. People will be watching us all, it's supposed to be that way, we're supposed to be physically attractive to them. But you know its you who I'll be bringing home to this bed tonight Isabella." And with that I kissed her soundly on her mouth and squeezed her ass in both my hands.

Her moan was all the answer I needed.

**BPOV**

When he put it that way it sounded okay. It was true, I was who he'd be bringing home tonight. It was me he'd take to bed tonight. I still didn't want to watch women fawn all over him but knowing he'd be with me at the end made it a little more comfortable for me at least.

"Okay, I'll go on two conditions." I told him, smiling sweetly.

"And they are?" He asked as he grabbed his house keys and wallet and tugged me to the door.

"First, you don't leave my side." I figured if I were snaked around his sparkly ass all night no biatch would get a chance to touch him, and if they did, well. Let's just hope none bothered to try.

"Done, that's a no brainer." He answered.

"Second, you don't leave the house without last night's prize in your pocket." I said sweetly. The poor bastard nearly hit the doorframe he spun around so fast. His eyes were so wide they looked set to pop out of his head as he stared at me.

I'd used fairly innocuous language so the rest of the family wouldn't know what we were talking about but Edward knew what I meant immediately. I watched as a sly grin crept across his face.

"Done." He croaked as he bent to kiss me firmly. He sprinted to his beside table and pulled my panties from his top drawer. He ran his fingers through them reverently and then I watched as he slipped them into the pocket of his pants. He returned to where I stood and took my hand once again. "Have I told you lately how much I fucking adore you?" He chuckled as he led me down the stairs to his waiting family.

**EPOV**

Alice was still laughing about Bella's jealousy issues as we piled into the cars. Emmett was desperate to know what my prize was, as was Rose, which I thought was a bit weird. Alice planned to tackle Bella about the details as soon as we were in the club. Jasper was just happy to soak up our air of lust filled thoughts.

Alice and Jasper were taking his Chrysler. None of us enjoyed riding in it so it wasn't a surprise when Rose and Em decided to go in his Monaro. That left Bella and I in the Aston.

I asked once more if Carlisle and Esme wanted to come with us but they both said no and went back into the house arm in arm as we drove out the driveway. I tried to steer clear of their mental thoughts as we left but unfortunately I wasn't spared the first few glimpses of their return into the house. I shuddered and tried to concentrate on the road ahead.

"Jeez." Bella muttered.

'Thank Christ they aren't my real parents, eww.' I told her silently and she giggled quietly.

Before we even left the drive Rose and Emmett were engaged in a heated debate about the best way to prove Jasper's theory. I let their car go a little further ahead of us, hoping to lose their thoughts to distance. I tuned them out as best I could. I still wasn't sure I wanted to play their stupid game, but it would be amusing to watch Emmett try it on for size tonight all the same.

"Tell me what you're thinking." Bella asked, resurfacing a long used line of mine.

"I'm thinking about Jasper's plan." I told her truthfully, knowing she'd read it out of my head anyway, there was no point trying to hide anything from her anymore. She could read me as easily as I could read everyone else.

"Will you let him do that to you?" she asked.

"I don't know. Would you?"

She giggled, "Probably." She answered, which shocked me.

"Really?"

"Yeah, why not? I mean, all the kids our age are going to be experimenting with it either soon or they already are. The drink, not the drugs I mean. I don't think getting stoned would be much fun, but who knows, maybe it is?" she shrugged.

I thought again about Phil's words that night. There were so many things Bella was going to miss out on, I'd feel forever guilty about some of them. "Have you ever had a drink?" I asked, for some reason not knowing the answer bothered me.

"Nope. Why does that bother you Edward?" She asked.

I gave it a few seconds thought before I answered, wanting to formulate my answer carefully lest I offend her. "I'm about to marry you, we're having a baby and I just realized I have no idea if you've ever had a drink. It bothered me, not knowing."

"Oh," she said quietly. "I guess it is a bit strange, isn't it? I never wanted to try a drink, mainly because growing up with Charlie for a dad I got lectured no end about the consequences of that, but also because of Renee too. Her mom was a drinker and I knew how that affected my mom even though she never really said too much about it, so we never had alcohol in the house either here or in Phoenix. Same goes for drugs of any kind." She said earnestly.

I told her what I'd told the boys at the Rez about my experiences with alcohol and my complete lack of experience with any kind of drug. We had that in common, our inexperience.

**BPOV**

We were discovering, more and more, that we didn't really know a lot about each other and that was sad for me. I loved him with all my heart and soul but we didn't even know simple things about each other like our thoughts on alcohol and drugs! Surely that was sad?

I wondered if Alice knew all there was to know about Jasper, did Rose know all Emmett's likes and needs and wants? Had Esme asked every question she could think of of Carlisle in the last 80 years?

And then a thought occurred to me. I didn't care. I truly didn't.

"Edward." I started; he hummed softly to let me know he'd heard me. "I'm looking forward to forever and finding out everything there is to know about you."

The gorgeous smile that broke out across his face told me this pleased him. '_I'm looking forward to that too baby.' _He told me silently so as to not dislodge his smile.

"Good." I replied, satisfied that that was now sorted. We'd spend the rest of forever learning all the little quirks, irks and inconsequentialities of each other's lives and personalities. That sounded like a bloody good way to spend our time!

Edward's cell phone began ringing in its little holder on the dashboard so I answered it with a hello. It was Rose.

"Hey Rose. What's up?" Edward asked.

"Emmett told me what he and Jasper are going to test tonight and I want in, Emmett says I can't. Back me up little brother." She begged.

Edward rolled his eyes and I giggled. He was on his own with this one, there wasn't enough money in China to make me want to get in between Emmett and Rose! Edward silently asked me for an opinion but I waved my hands and shook my head no, he squinted as though he was in pain. _'Traitor'_ he chuckled in his head at me.

"Sorry Rosie, that's between you and the big guy." He answered diplomatically.

"God you're a pussy Edward." Rosalie answered which I thought was more than a little harsh. "Let me get Alice on the phone." Edward groaned again as we were put on hold only to be taken off hold again a few seconds later. We were now on a conference call with Jasper's car too, apparently. "Go ahead Alice." Rose was saying.

"Hey everyone." Alice' sing song voice came out of the little speaker. "I don't see why you boys should be the only ones to have all the fun. Why can't Rose and I, and Bella too if she wants, try it out too?" Alice was begging now too.

"No way." I heard Jasper say firmly. Emmett chimed in with 'It's not gonna happen woman' which I think from the sounds of it earned him a slap upside his head. Edward was just shaking his head and thinking about how appalling it would be for him to have to watch his sisters and I behave as if we were drunk.

"That's pretty sexist there Edward." I whispered which made everyone else laugh down the phone line.

"Eddie playing the 'women shouldn't get drunk' angle there Bell's?" Emmett asked and Edward grimaced.

"Hmm mm." I confirmed. Earning me a scowl from Edward. "Look guys, I'm not keen on trying it anyway, you know with the baby and all I'm not sure its such a good idea. But you guys go right ahead, I'll play designated driver and everything." I giggled.

**EPOV**

Shit! I hadn't given the baby a second thought. I was the worst father to be on the planet! Bella was shaking her head violently at my errant thought and put her hand on my thigh to calm me. Which worked. Mostly. I mouthed 'sorry' to her and she winked so I knew we were all good. I guess I still wasn't used to thinking of us as a trio as yet.

"Let's stick to the original plan for tonight ladies. Jasper will try it out on me and if it works you two can decide it you want him to do it for you later on. But not tonight, not in a nightclub and not around hundreds of pissed guys either." Emmett was negotiating. I thought it sounded pretty reasonable.

"I'm with Em on this one." Jasper answered, eliciting an 'of course you bloody are' from Alice. He ignored it and went on, "I don't even know if its possible yet. It's still just a theory. I want to try it out on Em because he can deal with whatever comes at him if it gets weird or out of hand. If it goes okay then we'll talk to you ladies about trying it on you, but I agree with Emmett, not tonight and not in a club surrounded by drunk guys." He sounded very authoritative and I knew the ladies would get no joy from an obstinate Jasper. I was pleased that he'd turned them down.

Alice huffed a bit and Rose grumbled how unfair it was but in the end they agreed to let Emmett be the guinea pig and they'd wait their turn if all went well tonight. Me? I was just glad that Bella had thought of the baby ahead of herself, me included. One of us needed to be a parent, at least.

I clicked 'end' on the call and left them to bicker amongst themselves for the rest of the trip. We were only a few minutes away from Port Angeles city centre anyway, they'd have to let it go when we got to our destination.


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43 Emmett's Test Run

**BPOV**

We arrived in the parking lot behind the club in convoy. Rose and Emmett ahead of us, Alice and Jasper behind us, as we'd been on the bikes that time.

With them so close to us I knew that Edward could read them as and that they could hear us if we spoke. Edward asked the two other couples to please park and give us a minute while I steadied myself to leave the relative comfort of the clean air of the car.

So there we sat while I gathered myself. I used Esme's method of slowly winding down my window and taking in the scents around me slowly, again it worked. I only had to sit for one or two full minutes before I was able to take Edward's hand and let him help me from the car.

It was a clear-skied Saturday night so the club parking lot was packed with revelers. It was still only early, just after ten, but already the music was loud and the bodies smelled warm all packed into the little club.

I let Edward lead me around the front of the club and we stood watching the humans go in two at a time through the front doors, being appraised then ushered through the heavy doors by two enormous bouncers. One was bald headed and had an exotic assortment of tattoos around his skull. His colleague was equally as big but was less decorated.

Our small group had hung back a little, everyone was giving me a chance to acclimate to the mass of swirling scents. The worst of my thirst would hit when I went inside but for now I was okay. It was going to be difficult to play my mental relationship game inside but I'd managed at school yesterday and my thirst had been well sated in the past few days. I'd hunted four times yesterday alone! I squeezed Edward's hand to let him know I was good to go and he nodded to Emmett who tugged Rose up to the front of the line.

This resulted in a good amount of grumbling from those standing in line waiting their turn. It didn't bother Emmett at all, he just kept right on going until he was stood right at the head of the line in front of Kojak. Baldy had his impressively muscled arms crossed over his chest in defiance of Emmett's audacity but soon dropped them to his sides as Emmett unleashed his dimpled smile.

Baldy and his more civilized looking associate who had the unlikely name of 'Hank' embroidered on his shirt looked us all up and down a few times before leering at Rose then nodding to each other. Kojak stepped aside and held the door open as we all went in. Much to the disgust of about a hundred humans who were once again left outside to wonder why we were so special.

I loved being a vampire!

As soon as the doors closed behind us I felt two things. One, my thirst burst into my throat with such force I gasped and couldn't control my hand which flew up to cup my mouth and nose before I'd had a chance to think about the action. And two Jasper began working on me. My apprehension seeped out of my body and was replaced with an eerie sense of unnatural calm. I realised that he had to be hurting too, they probably all were but I was the only one having a physical reaction to the scents around me. I could feel and hear Edward studying me so I closed my eyes, held my breath, let my hand fall away from my face and looked out over the crowded room. I could do this. This is what I'm good at, resisting. Right.

I turned to find Jasper and reached for his hand. He squeezed mine in reply to my silent thanks.

Edward leaned down and kissed my neck, below my ear, his warm breath making me shiver slightly. _'You're amazing.' _He told me in his thoughts and I shot him a wide smile.

Alice was already swaying to the music even though we were at the furthest point from the dance floor.

Rose and Emmett were ahead of us, steering us through the crowd to a vacant booth on the left hand wall.

Emmett slid in but Rose waved Jasper into the booth instead of sitting down herself. She grabbed Alice' hand, then mine, and dragged us both out onto the floor.

Now, I know I'm not the most graceful person, I never was, but the music was so hypnotic I couldn't help get into it a little. Rose and Alice moved like they were made of mercury. Before the end of the first song was over they had a dozen male admirers watching their every move.

Neither of them seemed to notice, or care, they just danced like there was no tomorrow. Alice seemed to recognize my unease so she grabbed my right wrist and handed it to Rose then she took my left wrist and pretty soon the three of us were grinding all over each other like we were joined at the hips!

Alice kept whispering to me the whole time, telling me what move they'd do next. Because no human could hear us over the music, and because Alice talked faster than a horse race caller naturally, it looked like I knew what I was doing, like I belonged.

Every now and then I looked to the booth and to Edward. The three boys were often deep in conversation but I did notice that Edward scowled just as often as the other two boys did. I couldn't quite make out his thoughts here, the music interfered, as did my thirst and the crush of bodies between us. If I concentrated I could probably isolate him in all the other noise, but for now I was just happy to dance. I didn't need to know his every thought all the time.

When a well-built blonde boy came up to Rose and asked her to dance with him Emmett was out of the booth in a millisecond and was shoving the boy away, growling under his breath. Emmett steered Rose a little further into the throng of dancers and began to 'mark his territory'. They left nobody in the place unsure exactly who belonged to whom, that's for sure.

I could hear Edward and Jasper laughing as they watched their brother run his hands over every inch of their sister. To them it must be a normal occurrence. Rose probably got a lot of unwanted attention looking like she did.

Alice didn't seem to mourn the loss of one of our trio for long. Pretty soon she was grinding on me and whispering the next steps to our smutty little dance like nothing had happened. She sang along in her elfin voice the whole time, only stopping to give me instructions. I had to admit it was lots of fun.

I liked feeling like I belonged, like I was good enough to be included, that I wasn't too clumsy now to fuck it up and make Alice look dumb.

As I got more confident I felt my thirst subsiding. My anxiety was always going to hamper my ability to ignore the humans around me, so as I relaxed and began to really enjoy myself my whole body became more comfortable. I was even beginning to be pleased that I'd never be fatigued, no matter how long we danced tonight.

Suddenly Alice balked and I watched as her lips curled up in a wicked grin. "One minute Bella. Two o'clock. Black 'Disturbed' t-shirt." She giggled at me and I wondered what the hell she was talking about. But sure enough, not sixty seconds later I felt a pair of warm hands on my hips. Mr Disturbed pulled me back up against him, he ground his hips into my ass and I grimaced. Eww.

I was about to turn around and tell him to fuck off when Edward leapt out of the booth and stalked towards us.

"She's with me." He growled menacingly. Mr Disturbed turned into Mr Turn-tail-and-run-like-a-hare-in-the-headlights and was gone before Edward had finished the last word. Edward bent and kissed me at the corner of my mouth but soon went back to his booth to sit with Jasper and the recently returned Emmett.

Alice was once again singing and whispering instructions and as Rose came back into the group we began a new song with a new dance step to match.

I fucking love clubbing!

**EPOV**

I fucking hate clubbing!

Jasper was trying his best to keep me calm but my temper and my self-control was beginning to wane. The instant we'd arrived the voices had begun evaluating my fiancé and my sisters. I ignored the ones that were paying us guys any attention, they didn't interest me in the least. What did interest me was any mention of my Bella and what she was wearing. Of which there were plenty of mentions!

Of course I knew this would be the case. It had been the case since she first arrived in Forks, even before that in Phoenix to a lesser extent, but certainly since Bella had blossomed into a young woman she had many, many male admirers. Some more vocal than others but all of them mentally 'loud'. Lucky me.

Emmett and Jasper were crapping on about their testing of the new theory but I was busy keeping tabs on the men in the crowded club. I had to alert Emmett to one particularly bold individual, which had its usual effect – Emmett, and Rose publicly declaring themselves to each other, in vivid colour in front of the entire club no less. Alice had been spared a similar intrusion to her dancing because the boy who had taken a liking to her had been turned off after witnessing Emmett's furious utterances earlier. I kept one eye on Bella and other on my sisters, not wanting anyone to bother them while they danced. And boy could they dance!

It didn't go unnoticed that the three of them slid along each other like they were made of latex rubber! Men and women alike were watching in dazed appreciation as my sisters wedged Bella in between them and ground their hips in unison to the hypnotic beat. Bella was singing along, as was Alice. Rose was too busy swaying her hips suggestively to pay too much attention to the music. She had her eyes closed, which only added to the allure for the men in the room, I didn't understand that at all. I picked a face in the crowd and tried to read only his mental voice to decipher why that was.

'_Christ she's hot! Look at that ass! That's it baby, grind it, yeah.' _He was following Rose' every move, his eyes never leaving her body and face. He too was dancing but his group was large and he hadn't yet been caught ogling Rose. _'Man she's so fucking hot…them legs…that ass…eyes closed like she would be with my dick…' _I groaned loudly and Jasper startled. I shook my head to rid myself of the guy's mental image of my sister. Both my brothers were watching me carefully but I shrugged them off, no need to make Emmett any angrier than he already was. The guy had no intention of approaching Rose, if he did I'd tell Em straight away.

But I guess I had my answer. Girls dancing – dirty girls that is, girls who lost to the music and knew quite well the effect they were having on the watching crowd - with their eyes closed reminded horny guys of orgasm faces. Who knew?

Jasper went off to buy a round of drinks that we'd never consume which left Emmett and I alone in the booth, watching the girls.

"She looks great Ed." Emmett said matter of factly. What he meant was 'she is in control of her thirst, we're safe right?'

"She does." I agreed, letting him know she was fine as far as I could tell.

"Anyone clocked us?" It was Emmett's usual question when we were in public like this. He had a long ingrained need to know what the humans around us were thinking. He tied my answer to how best to protect Rose. Again, Emmett was very black and white. Be prepared, defend, protect.

"Not a soul Em, we're all good." I nodded to our girls who were now shimmying to an old rock and roll number. Bella had her head thrown back and was laughing as Alice and Rose egged her on faster and faster. There were two men, not boys this time, dancing about twelve feet from our three girls. They were very pointedly watching, not hiding it from anyone. One of them was laughing hard, talking about which one he wanted on the bottom and which one on the top. He was happy to let his friend take the left over girl, which happened to be Alice. I curled my lip up into an involuntary snarl when I heard him say what he wanted to do to Bella while she was on top.

I immediately felt Jasper's hand on my shoulder, forcing me back into my seat.

"Dude, calm down." Jasper was hissing into my ear as he set my drink in front of me. "I'll go ask the girls to come over, stay put." He shot a look to Emmett and I heard that his intention was for Emmett to keep me seated.

Jasper went to where the girls were and swept a hand in front of them to indicate the drinks on the table. They smiled and began to walk toward us. I assumed Jasper would follow but when all three girls were happily seated back at the booth I saw him approach the two men. They had turned around once again and were now watching two other girls, making the same disgusting comments about them that they had about our girls. I watched as Jasper tapped the taller one on his shoulder, indicating that he should lean down and be talked to nearer Jasper's face, as the music was so loud. For the humans anyway. None of us would have a problem hearing every word.

"The three women you were just ogling are my wife and her sisters. My advice, fellas, is that you keep your filthy fucking mouths shut. If you even so much as look at them again tonight the next threesome you'll all be having will be you two and the coroner. We clear?"

Jasper had punctuated the middle of his speech with a not too guarded lick of his canines, releasing a sizeable amount of venom into the air surrounding the one with his head bent over. The effect was immediate, the guy thought he was going to piss himself where he stood. He fought the urge, just managing to remain in control of his fear and his bladder. To the other he flashed his teeth, causing the guy to shuffle backwards and bumping into another guy who was not too pleased to be interrupted. Jasper strode away without giving either guy a second look and came back to the table, a wicked grin on his face.

He slid into the booth next to Alice, kissed her lightly on her cheek and slipped into the conversation as if nothing had happened. Nobody at our table made comment, it wasn't necessary. The problem was most effectively sorted.

I nodded and raised my glass in his direction, he did the same. _'You're welcome Ed.'_ He acknowledged and I smiled.

**BPOV**

I hadn't even seen the two guys but obviously the three boys had. Edward was furious. He was pleased that Jasper had sorted it out but was sad, yes actually sad, that his brother had had the pleasure of scaring them. Boys!

I had some sort of alcoholic drink in front of me but I had no idea how to appear to be drinking it when I wasn't, so I looked to Rose who sat opposite me and raised both my glass and my eyebrows, hoping she'd catch on that I needed a quick lesson. She smiled and tilted her head a little. I watched her intently. She kept up her part of the conversation she was having with both Edward and Emmett, but every few minutes she raised the glass to her lips, keeping them pressed firmly shut. She never let the liquid go any further than to slosh against the outside of her lips. When she put the glass back on the table she jiggled it slightly, letting the liquid spill over the edge only to be soaked up by the napkin under it. Every second time she put the glass back onto the table she lifted the small straw that was stood in it and holding her finger over the end of it she let the liquid that was trapped inside it fall out the side of the glass and onto the same napkin. That way the liquid did appear to be lessening in the glass without her having to actually consume it. As she spoke she blew air onto her lips to dry them. After every few sips like that she wiped her lips with another napkin, never letting the alcohol actually into her mouth. Fuck it was clever!

I smiled at her and she nodded at me as I followed her lead and began to 'drink'.

'_You're fucking amazing baby.'_ Edward told me as I took my third 'sip'. _'You're a natural.' _He told me as he took a 'sip' of his own drink. I giggled as he let the amber fluid drip down the side of his glass as he twirled the ice inside it. I couldn't believe I'd never noticed them do this before. I'd sat in the lunchroom with them for weeks, months, and I could never work out how they did it. To the human eye I bet it looked so natural when Alice came back to the table with a fistful of napkins to mop up a 'spill' – aka the last half of her drink and Jasper's.

When the table was once again clean I watched as Jasper held his hand out to Alice. She curtsied prettily and took it, allowing him to lead her onto the floor. Within half a second they were wrapped around each other and swaying to the beat of the music.

Edward had his arm draped across my shoulder and was softly stroking my exposed skin lazily as he talked with Emmett about the big test.

The club was really starting to fill up now. I grabbed Edward's wrist and saw that by his watch it was nearing midnight. I looked around at the groups of people nearest us and watched for a while. The noise was deafening of course. Brilliant hearing wasn't always a good thing. The conversations were pretty ordinary. Work, sex, money, sex, sex and money once again.

Rose was soon bored listening to Emmett espouse the brilliance of Jasper's plan and Edward refuting its relevance so she began to tease Emmett about not being man enough to go through with it anyway. I guessed this got her the reaction she was looking for because Emmett leapt out of his seat and went to get Jasper.

Rose was laughing hard by the time Emmett returned with both Alice and Jasper in tow.

They slid into the booth and pretty soon Jasper had a lock on who he was going to use to 'soak' up drunk from.

Alice and I had wanted to try a little test of our own tonight so she scooted over next to me, nudging and winking at me to let me know to try our theory now.

The theory was this. If Jasper needed to concentrate on someone in order to soak up their emotions he'd have to be looking at them or at least focused solely on them. I knew that Edward would want to know which human Jasper had chosen, and he'd also want to know what Jasper was feeling, seeing and gaining as he soaked up this persons emotions. So Alice and I guessed that Edward would then be focused almost solely on Jasper. Alice wanted to know if I while I was reading Edward could I then read Jasper vicariously _through_ Edward? I thought it was a long shot but said I'd try.

So, that's how I found myself 'watching' my brother – Jasper – soaking up drunkenness feelings from some weird looking guy in a tea cozy hat!

It wasn't easy though. In the end I decided to close my eyes and lean against Edward, physical contact made my being able to read him a little easier. I found I could use his changing scent and his body language to get a better read on him. But the noise of the club, coupled with the swirling scents of the human crush, made it tricky to read Edward tonight. So I closed my eyes and leaned into him.

Pretty soon I could make out Edward's thoughts as he read Jasper's thoughts.

It was tough to extricate Edward's own mental voice from that that he was reading from Jasper's head, but in the end it was Edward that made it easier for me. He was concentrating extremely hard on only Jasper. That meant that Edward's every thought was an instant replay of what Jasper was thinking.

I reached for Alice' hand and gave it a little squeeze to let her know I had an answer. She whispered that we'd talk about it when we got home and that I should open my eyes now because the show was about to start.

**EPOV**

Not only did I think this was a very, very bad idea I now thought it was a stupid one too. Jasper had chosen the strangest most outrageous person to absorb from. The guy was about five feet three inches tall in his platform boots. He had a knitted cap on his head and filthy rats tailed hair that hung out the bottom of it like, well like rats tails. Bloody hippies. This guy, Evan his name was, and I only knew that because the saggy titted hessian sack wearer that was dancing beside him called him that, was wearing a neon colored tie dyed t-shirt over jeans that had seen better days. His wrists were knotted with linen cords and around his neck hung a myriad of leather thongs with various 'natural' pendants hung from them. I spotted an amber encased beetle of some sort and a feather, among other things. For a lover of nature he sure was a devotee of rum. I guess if one wanted to be technical about it rum was made from cane sugar. It was a slender thread even for a faithful hippie such as Evan was purporting to be. Even from here I could smell the alcohol on him, it was as though he'd bathed in it.

This was Jasper's choice. I gathered from his thoughts that Jasper had chosen him purely because he was the drunkest specimen close to where we were sat. Jaz would need Evan to stay close by in order to maintain his absorption. Jasper was getting ready to project what he'd soaked up onto Emmett and gave him the thumbs up. Emmett nodded, never once intending to back out, and then Jasper turned his full attention to Emmett.

For a few moments nothing happened and Emmett was getting both frustrated and disappointed. And then…then Emmett began giggling like a schoolgirl. He slumped lower in his seat and began to roll his eyes around the table at the rest of us. A broad grin spread across his face as he began to take in more of what Jasper was 'sending' him.

"Dude, I fucking love you." Emmett was saying across Rose to Jasper. Jasper began to chuckle as he realised it had worked a treat.

It looked like Jasper was a totally different kind of drunk than Emmett was. Jasper was a quiet, sentimental drunk, Emmett was a loud vociferous drunk.

"Check your time Edward, see how long it lasts before I have to top us up." Jasper asked and I marked the time at 12.19.

Jasper just sat grinning inanely, every now and then he shook his head at Emmett but he didn't say much. He seemed almost contemplative. He leaned his head onto Alice' shoulder and began to stroke her fingers as he held them in his lap. His mental thoughts were a little sluggish but his outward persona didn't change all that much. Alice kissed him often and gently but other than that nobody would've been able to tell whether he was drunk or sober.

This was in direct contrast to Emmett.

The girls were giggling hysterically at Emmett who was now swaying precariously out of the booth's seat. Rose was tugging on his shirtsleeve so that he'd stay upright but she was fighting a losing battle. In order to remain looking human she would have to let him fall in a moment, as there was no way she'd be able to logically hold his weight.

"For gods sake Emmett, sit up." Rose hissed to him.

He reacted to this like a drunk human would. He threw his arm around her shoulders and laid a big, sloppy wet kiss on her cheek. "I luv you mushy bunny." He drawled, slurring the s sounds together. She winced and wiped his venom off her cheek. "Oh Roshee babe…don't wipes my joosh off your loverlee face babee." Emmett slurred which made Alice laugh and Bella snort. I noticed Emmett's words were slurring more as time went on and told Jasper that it didn't look like he'd have to top Em up for a while yet.

"How do you feel Em?" Alice asked.

Emmett bent over the table and signaled for Alice to lean in, she did. He probably thought he was whispering but it sounded like his normal speaking voice he said, "Hey cutie little pixie chick. You're sho purty girl. You dance real good." He punctuated this with an eyebrow raise like this statement was the most important thing he'd ever tell her. She nodded sagely, playing along. "You should marry Jaz hey, he'sh a fuckawesome dude. I think he likesh you some." He winked like it was a big secret.

Rose was laughing so hard I thought she was going to expel a body organ! Her guffaws jagged Emmett away from where he was grinning at Alice. He turned to Rose and stared for a good minute before he held out a hand and stroked her cheek. Smiling widely he told her how much he loved her. Except it came out sounding like he 'lubbed' her, which made her laugh harder.

Bella was giggling uncontrollably by this point, snorting every now and then as the others swayed in unison with Emmett.

"Smella!" Emmett boomed across the table like he hadn't seen her in an age. Bella startled a little. "You are my sishy hey little Smella?" He asked incoherently. We all figured it was a rhetorical question because he just kept right on. "Eddie's sho luckee to have his Smella now. Little tiny Smell-icles ish gonna give my little tiny Eddie-cles a bubba! Yeah! Tiny little bubba hey bro?" He asked me, leaning over the table holding his fist out for me.

His hand shook so badly I couldn't actually bump him so I ended up holding his hand steady and bumping it with mine instead. I don't know who was laughing hardest Alice, Bella or Rose. I looked to Jaz who was in hysterics too.

"I think we'll call this experiment a success Jaz." Bella giggled.

**BPOV**

If I laughed any harder I was going to wet myself!

Emmett was hilarious. His voice was getting all squeaky and you could tell that he was getting all sentimental and girlie because he was slowing down his speech and telling each of us how much he loved us. It was pretty funny but it reminded me of one of Charlie's lectures when I was growing up. He told me that alcohol removes your inhibitions and people who drink until drunk say and do things they'd never normally do. Seems that was the case for vampires too.

Jasper didn't seem any different to me. He was maybe a little more openly affectionate to Alice but other than that he just seemed himself. Maybe he was more alcohol tolerant than Emmett?

Jasper told us he was going to take the drunken feelings off Emmett now and to prepare ourselves for the return of the giant knob that was our brother. I could tell he hadn't started yet because even Emmett laughed at being called a giant knob. If he were sober Jaz would have Emmett's fist in his jaw by now.

I watched, fascinated, as Jasper turned his attention to Emmett. It was as if a switch had been flipped. Emmett's face returned to his normal game face, the one he wore when out in public.

And then our Emmett was back with us.

"Dude that was brilliant!" he fist bumped Jasper and turned to look around the table at us all in turn. "You gotta let him do that to you guys!" he beamed.

'_Not fucking likely.'_ I giggled and pinched Edward's side when I heard him think that.

"It looked like fun to me." I told Emmett who nodded enthusiastically.

"Did you realize it was fake drunk Em?" Rose was asking.

"Nah, I had no idea at the time. It felt exactly like I remember it feeling when I was, you know." He tipped his head over to let us know he meant when he'd been human.

"Wow. So I guess it will work for stoned too then huh?" Jasper was musing.

"Yeah, I don't see why not dude. We'll have to try that one one day too." Emmett was keen to experiment some more, which only added to Edward's unease at the situation. He was thinking it was childish and dangerous for them to be out of control when we were out in public.

"Might be a good idea to do that in a more private situation maybe?" I offered, saying what Edward wouldn't.

Both boys looked pensive for a moment before Emmett had an idea. "Got it." He told Jaz. "The Rez. Those boys like a drink and I'll betcha they like the gear too, we'll go down there one weekend and you can light us up dude." Emmett said it like it was the answer to the sixty-four thousand dollar question.

Surprisingly Jasper took it like it was the answer to the sixty-four thousand dollar question. He leapt up with a whoop and high fived Emmett over the top of Rosalie's head. "Epic." He crowed.

'_Oh for fuck's sake.'_ Edward rolled his eyes to punctuate his distaste for their new plan. I nudged him in his ribs and scowled at him for being the party pooper. He gave his head a little shake and returned to watching the dance floor.

All of a sudden the other two couples were on their feet and moving towards the floor. Alice was already curved around Jasper, Rose, not to be outdone, was soon slithering up and down Emmett's body length as the pounding of the bass echoed around the room.

**EPOV**

I was watching Bella watch my siblings and she was absolutely, mind blowingly, heart stoppingly, cock twitchingly gorgeous. She threw me a playful scowl as I thought it but quickly turned back to watch the dance floor once again.

I thought this was as good a time as any to change the atmosphere at our little booth. With my brothers gone and all talk of idiotic schemes to get me drunk and or stoned having gone with them, thank god.

Bella shifted and turned her back so that she was half lying against me, her back to my chest.

This gave me full access to her neck and shoulders. I took a good handful of her hair and swept it aside. I knew she could hear me so I began to whisper how beautiful she was tonight into her hair. I told her how much I loved her, how much I wanted her, how turned it had made me to watch her dancing with my sisters the way she had been. She giggled when I told her how much I wanted to tear the limbs off the prick that had touched her earlier. Which was actually nothing compared to what I'd wanted to do – and would've quite likely enjoyed doing – to the two who had been plotting their threesome. That thought earned me an elbow to the ribs. I took it like a man.

I wrapped my free hand around her waist and pulled her back to my chest tighter. I took a good, long pull of her scent and groaned as loudly as I dared. She shivered. Oh my.

Using the length of her hair as a curtain I buried my lips in the back of her neck and kissed my way across both shoulders. She purred her pleasure. My cock stiffened markedly.

She reached back and put her tiny fingers on my thigh. That one tiny gesture, however innocent I thought it might be, was enough to elicit a loud hiss from between my lips.

"Teeth Edward." She whispered and I groaned. She wanted me to bite her, here? Oh thank you god for giving me this dirty, dirty girl. She giggled again.

I did as I was bid and sunk my teeth into the soft creamy flesh at her neck. "Jesus Bella…I want you so badly." I told her quietly, letting my teeth find purchase in her warm skin again.

She turned slightly, coming to half face me in the cramped seat of the booth. She put one arm around my shoulder and the other into my hand that was now in my lap. I took a sneak peak downwards and saw that her nipples were peaked under the thin film of her top. Oh god.

She began to draw little circles on my palm. Her other hand began to stroke the hair at the base of my neck, in just the way she knew I liked. She leaned over and took my lips with hers. It was a soft kiss, gentle. She traced my bottom lip with her tongue and then pulled away. Keeping eye contact she grinned before speaking.

"Do you have your prize Edward?" She whispered and I sucked in a deep breath. I nodded, unable to answer audibly. If I'd tried it would've come out as a strangled croak anyway. A nod would have to suffice. "Put your hand in your pocket baby." She leaned over and kissed me again as I did as I was told. Once I had her panties in my fist, inside my jeans pocket, I pulled back and looked into her eyes, desperate to find out what she wanted from me. "I don't want anything from you Edward." She patted my cheek. "Rub them." She instructed. I'm sure I groaned as I let my fingers rub over the crotch. I could smell them as the air around me stirred with her aroused scent, both from the prize in my pocket and her actual scent as she sat beside me in that sinful skirt. "You smell that?" She asked and I nodded weakly. Much more and I'd cum in my jeans where I sat! "Oh baby, I won't let that happen." She giggled. Fuck. "We should dance Edward. I just want you to think about something while we do, okay?" she asked. She kissed me softly at the corner of my mouth then leaned away slightly. "The wetter you make me out there the more you'll enjoy having these ones." She grabbed the hand I had in my pocket and pulled it until it was under her skirt. I uncurled my fingers and traced the line where her panties met her thigh. Whatever they were they were satin, hopefully black to match the skirt, and they were fucking drenched!


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44 Hood Ornament

BPOV

Edward had been patting his pocket surreptitiously all evening so I knew any mention of the 'prize' would all but bring him undone.

I might not have known that he'd never been drunk but I sure as hell knew that he'd be hard in a millisecond and panting after me in another at the mere mention of the panties in his jeans pocket.

So it was with a great deal of smug conceitedness that I led my fiancé onto the dance floor.

I kept both Jasper and Emmett in sight, just in case my thirst overtook my lust I needed to know they'd be near enough, with Edward of course, to pull me clear of making any mistakes.

When I found a square inch of vacant dance floor I turned to face Edward and began to move in front of him. Swaying gently at first I let the music wash over me, getting a feel for it, before I started swinging my hips and rocking my shoulders in time with it. Edward hadn't moved a muscle since we arrived at our place on the crowded floor. I saw him lick his bottom lip, run his eyes from my toes to my eyes and then he reached for me.

He pulled my hips up against his, letting me feel his erection as we danced. I knew he was a fantastic dancer, the way he walked told anyone who cared to look how graceful he was. What surprised me was how well he danced in a more modern setting. With my hips held firmly in his strong hands he ground himself into me from the waist down as all the other boys on the floor did.

I felt so secure in letting him hold me like that that I was soon lifting my arms above my head and leaning back, swaying with my eyes closed like I'd seen Rose, Alice and a hundred other girls do all night long.

Not only was the contact deeply arousing but it felt right, so right. We fit in.

When I opened my eyes he was smirking unashamedly as he ogled my breasts. I knew my nipples were hard because they ached from the swinging material that was all that was between Edward and I.

He watched me openly while I writhed against him, all the while grinding himself into me harder and harder, making my knees buckle with the intense way he was staring at me. Every now and then his eyes darted left or right, focusing on someone nearby. His thoughts would echo theirs and I'd grin at his mental retelling of the things people were thinking about either me or in some cases him.

**EPOV**

I wonder if Bella realizes that when I mention some girl checking me out she increases the pressure of our hips? I wonder if she knew she stood a little straighter, danced a little more provocatively, licked her lips more often and held me tighter when I told her that the girl in the red vinyl pants thinks I have a nice ass?

She does now. Too funny.

Bella had set me a task earlier. She wanted me to make her wet so I could enjoy having her panties later on. I think I now knew a way to make that happen easily.

As she moved toward me again in rhythm to the music I spun her around using her hips until she was up against my chest with her back. I kept my hands at her waist although I wrapped them around her firmly, encircling her fully, holding her to me. I buried my nose and then lips into her neck as she began to sway again with the beat.

While I'd like nothing better than to ignore all those around us I could not. The mental voices as well as the vocal ones coupled with the music and generally shouted conversations in the room made that impossible. I decided to use it to my advantage for a change.

'Can you hear me baby?' I asked her silently.

She answered by twisting in my arms and finding my mouth, sucking my lips between hers before letting them go and grinding her ass into my cock, hard.

I guess that's a yes?

I was determined that this would be one time when being read was going to be a plus not a negative for me. I'd use it to its full advantage to get what I wanted from her. And what I wanted was her screaming my name as she climaxed around my aching prick. Several times. No, fuck that, a dozen times. What good was being a perpetually horny seventeen year old if you couldn't enjoy the value in never having to stop and wait for the next hard on?

I ranged my mind out around us and picked my first target. I slid my hands up and down Bella's sides as she continued to dance for me. I moved with her but less as an active participant and more a bystander who was merely there to reap the benefits of her fine ass rubbing me through my pants.

'Dark red blouse, skinny jeans to your left. Big fake tits.' I told her mentally. I waited till she nodded, she'd found who I meant. 'She's thinking about my lips around her nipples.' I waited for Bella to stiffen before I went on. 'Do you want my lips on your nipples Bella?' I asked her.

"Yes." She whispered and kept dancing, never missing a beat.

I turned us slightly so she could see my next target. 'Your left again. Taller. Blonde. Ridiculous green hoodie even more ridiculous ripped jeans.' I told her. When she nodded I went on. 'She wants me to bend her over the booth and fuck her from behind.' Bella audibly gasped at that one. 'It's not something I've ever done to you is it Isabella? Bend you over and take you?' I waited to see and hear what her reaction was going to be before I continued.

"Oh god yes Edward." She actually whimpered this and I was knocked backwards by the massive assault on my nose and tongue that her arousal bought me. Jesus Christ.

I'd not dared have her like that as yet. I wasn't keen on the position, thinking it would be too impersonal. I was not interested in losing contact with her face or eyes as we made love. I'd have to give it some thought though if it turned Bella on this much.

I turned her in my arms until she was once again facing me. Her eyes were sparkling in the minimal light, the crimson ringed irises studying my lips as she got back into the swing of her dance. I grinned as she licked her lips in anticipation of our next admirer.

I looked over her shoulder slightly and found my next thinker. I nodded minutely in the direction she'd need to look to spot this woman. As we continued to dance I maneuvered Bella so that she got a few seconds to see my target. 'Long black dress. Dark hair. Holding the beer bottle over her head.' I told Bella. 'She thinks we are a striking couple. She can't decide who she wants more, you or me. She's about ready to settle, ah she wants both of us. Oh god. You first, then me.' Bella bit her bottom lip a little as she mulled over my words.

She stiffened a little in my arms but said nothing. She put her arms around my neck and drew me to her.

"Mine." She growled aggressively into my open mouth before plunging her tongue between my teeth.

'Mine.' I told her in reply.

When we broke the kiss she was grinning at me, then she scanned the room looking for the woman again. She shot her an evil look, the woman didn't notice it in amongst the crush of other people near her, but I saw it.

Bella shocked me my standing on tiptoe and saying 'another' into my ear as she bit down on the lobe. I wasted no time searching for someone else to read. Bella's grasp on me was tightening with each passing second, her lust for me was all consuming, as was mine for her. I wanted her so fucking jealous she could hardly contain it inside her. I wanted her desperate for me to claim her, mark her, take her as mine. 'Yes' she whispered to me having read my need from me.

I gripped her and turned her again. When she was facing away from me I pulled her roughly back up against my cock, sliding it up against the crack of her ass. She groaned and wiggled a little until it was settled right where she wanted it. Then she rolled her hips expertly until I was panting out my need for her into her waiting neck and ear.

'There. To the right. She's got her back to you now. Dancing with the guy in the leather jacket.' Bella turned her head to the right and waited until the girl was once again facing us as she twisted and turned in front of her partner. 'The guy is her brother. She's looking for someone to go home with.' Bella nodded but kept rolling her hips in time with the music. To everyone near us it was just part of Bella's dance. But I knew it was to torment me and my dick. It was working a treat. I pulled Bella's hair aside and bit down at her shoulder as I told her that the girl was being very specific in her selection tonight. 'She wants tall. Apparently I make the height requirement. She wants fit, I've passed. Tight ass, me again though she's given Jaspers a higher score than mine.' I chuckled darkly into Bella's hair. 'She's a huntress Bella. She thinks she's dangerous.' Bella was moaning steadily now. I hoped to Christ she was thinking about yesterdays hunt with me because I surely fucking was. 'She's trying to work out what your jewellery means, if you're wearing my ring.' Bella wound her fingers higher into my hair. I knew she was trying to make her rings seen more readily. 'She wants to stalk me through the club, make eye contact, drag me away from you and have me, here, in a dark corner somewhere, while you watch, crying.' I was a little stunned at that myself. It was a cruel thing to be thinking. She was obviously some sort of sociopath, possibly psychotic, but it had the desired effect on Bella. 'Do you want me here Bella, in a quiet corner. Shall I stalk you?'

She twisted until she was facing me and then she growled, teeth bared, nostrils flared, venom pooled on her tongue, "Mine. You're mine. Take me home Edward. You're leaving with me."

**BPOV**

I knew he'd set up me for this, I'd read it, but it was agonizing all the same. I wanted him, needed him, I had to possess him. I knew he'd never entertain the thought of leaving with anyone other than me. I knew that, on many levels. But I could not control the irrational need I had to just leave now, take him home, have him over and over and remove all thoughts of any of these human girls from his brain.

He may have thought about having me over and over until I screamed but so had I.

He scanned the room looking for the others and caught Jasper's eye above the crowd. We all met back at the booth and were soon saying our goodnights.

This was the reason the three couples came in their own vehicles. So they could leave when they wanted to, without having to wait or leave before they were ready.

Emmett gave me a grin and a wink as he said goodnight and Alice hugged me carefully before trotting back to the dance floor with Jasper close behind.

Edward led me through the crowd and I giggled as the way parted before us, the humans sensing how dangerous we were and moving aside to let us through involuntarily.

'_Son of a bitch!'_ Edward exclaimed and stopped dead near the exit. He turned, hissed loudly and scowled menacingly at a guy slumped over the bar and then propelled me in front of him and out through the doors into the street and the waiting night.

"What was that all about Edward?" I asked.

"Distract me so I don't go back and…distract me please Bella." He ran a hand through is hair and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. He was thinking about the guy at the bar, to me it sounded like he was trying to memorize his features and his scent.

"Edward?" I asked again, concerned. "Um, okay, a distraction, right. Um, how about we drive somewhere and I let you bend me over the hood of the Aston?" I figured that would not only get his attention but it would also get me what I wanted too. Win win.

"Oh well played Miss Swan, well played. Come on, let's get out of here." And with that he pulled me to him so that I was tucked under his arm and we went out into the parking lot and into the Aston.

When we were seated in the car Edward pulled out his cell phone. He chose a number from his contacts and then set it into the holder on the dash. "I need to make a quick call Bella, I don't want you to worry and I don't want you to ask any questions, I don't want our evening ruined. Can you do that for me please?" He asked. He looked not only very serious but fierce as well. I nodded weakly, afraid of what I was about to hear.

Edward hit dial and soon Emmett's booming voice was coming out of the little speaker. "What's up bro?"

"Guy at the bar, two sheets to the wind, blue plaid shirt, sneakers. Get Alice near him, he's got James' scent on his shirt. It's not fresh but it's his. Get her to mark it for herself."

"Done." Was Emmett's only reply.

"We're taking the long way home, see you in a few hours." And with that Edward pressed end and started the car. With one quick glance to make sure I was keeping my end of the bargain he turned the Aston out onto the street, gunned the engine and slid it all the way down the street in a perfect power slide.

**EPOV**

I'd recognized the scent instantly as that belonging to that bastard James. I'd smelled it all around the shack that day and had smelled it on the guy at the bar, at least on his clothing anyway. I'd panicked, I could admit that. But once I realized James wasn't actually in the club I calmed down, a little.

I was honest when I told Bella I didn't want our evening ruined. I'd had a great time despite my idiot brothers and the bastards who'd like a crack at my woman. She had danced up a storm, we'd danced ourselves into a frenzy and now I wanted to make good on my promises and hopefully get one or two of my wishes as well.

Bella was abnormally quiet so I knew she was thinking about my conversation with Emmett and what it meant for us. I needed to get her back on the same page as me. I reached over and took her hand in mine, I pulled it to my lips and kissed her palm. She smiled but said nothing. Okay, I could do better than that.

I turned her hand over and held onto her index finger. I licked it from where it met her palm to its tip then sucked it into my mouth. She let out a little whimper and closed her eyes, letting her head fall back onto the headrest. Beautiful.

I let her finger fall from my mouth and reached for her across the console.

I traced the line of her jaw with my fingertip then ran it down her throat until it sat at the edge of her top. I traced the fabric along the top edge of it from the centre of her chest to under her armpit. She shuddered but kept her eyes closed.

I ran my finger just slightly under the fabric at the point where I guessed her tattoo would be. I felt the raised lettering with the first pass and smiled smugly to myself. I bet if I could see it it would be pitch black.

Bella never opened her eyes but her hand came up and I watched as she peeled the thin strap over her shoulder and let the front of the top fall away, exposing an acre of soft, pale skin to me and also showing me just how black her tattoo really was.

"My Bella, what a black tattoo you have." I chuckled.

"Hmm mm." She hummed in reply. She let the fabric go and once again her tattoo was covered. But now I noticed her nipples were both peaked and the perfect buds were pressing against the thin material of their own accord.

"My Bella, what hard nipples you have." I chuckled again, hoping she'd show me those too.

This elicited a quiet giggle but she duly raised her hand and pulled her top down a little lower. What I saw was a perfectly hard, blush pink nipple that was just dying for me to suck on it. Chew on it. Bite it. Flick it with my fingers. Roll it between my lips. Lick it. Fuck!

"Find somewhere to stop and you can Edward." She purred.

Oh Christ. I floored the Aston and pushed it to well over the hundred mark in order to get the fuck off this stretch of road.

Two exits later I pulled up into a layby that was supposed to be used for trucks and travelers who needed to stop on long journeys. I couldn't give a fuck what it was for, for now it was for me to fuck Bella. End. Of. Fucking. Story.

**BPOV**

Every time he said fuck in his head my clit twitched!

He let the car roll a little further into the parking lane so I sat as patiently as I could while he pulled the car to a complete stop in the rest stop. At this end of the small layby the parking bays were shielded from the road and its traffic by a small hedge of native trees. Probably a windbreak. Edward had parked the Aston right up along side them so that the passenger side of the car was completely hidden from anyone coming into or leaving the layby.

He was a little smug at having found such a perfect spot but I let him away with it, I was desperate to just have him inside me.

With a last check in his rearview mirror he was out of the car and at my door in a heartbeat. He pinned me against the car and thrust his tongue deep into my mouth without warning. I groaned into his open mouth and pulled him to me using his shirt.

I used the fingers on my free hand to tug last night's panties out of his pocket. He flared his nostrils even as he continued kissing me at the scent they bought out of his pocket with them. _'Oh god Bella, are you as wet for me now as you were then?'_ he was asking me as he pushed me right back against the door, threading his hands into my hair and assaulting my mouth with his lips and tongue.

All I could do was moan my reply, he'd have to make of it what he would. I knew I was dripping wet, I could feel it and I knew he could smell it because I could too.

I pulled out of the kiss and pushed him away from my body putting a little distance between us. I held the panties up and he smirked down at me. "Why do you want them Edward?" I asked.

"Because you were wet for me, only me, only ever me Bella." He growled as he tried to close the distance between us again. I was having none of it. I used my finger to push him away, he obediently stepped backwards despite being well able to defend himself.

"Do you think you did as well tonight as you did last night then?" I twirled the panties on my finger, wafting the scent towards him. He closed his eyes and inhaled steadily for a few seconds before he nodded.

'_Let me see baby…let me taste you…let me feel you…give me your panties, I want them, they're mine.' _He begged me silently, all the while he stood perfectly still, eyes closed, fists clenched beside him, his pants tented with his arousal.

"My Edward, what a big cock you have." I giggled.

"Hmm mm." He hummed in answer, just as I had in the car. '_Let me have you on the hood of the car Isabella.' _He didn't pose it as a question although it undoubtedly was. He was asking for permission to do to me something we'd not done before. He wanted my permission.

"I'm yours." I told him by way of my answer. He knew I was giving myself to him, his eyes flew open and he cocked a cheeky grin at me. He licked his bottom lip once and then bent to kiss me again. He tugged the panties out of my fingers and pushed them back into his pocket.

'_You can have these back when I have the ones you're wearing tucked into my pocket, next to my dick Isabella.' _He told me mentally and I groaned into his mouth. I had to rub my thighs together to get some friction and try to relieve this ache I had. It didn't work.

**EPOV**

Every move she made sent her intoxicating aroma floating up towards my mouth and nose. I could taste her sex on my tongue, my teeth were tingling with it. Venom laked at the back of my throat and I'd had to hurriedly swallow it down a few times already.

With one last pat of the panties in my pocket I pulled her to me and led her to the front of the car. Not a single vehicle had driven by since we were stood there so I figured we'd be okay out here in the open. I'd hear the car a fair distance off and I'd be able to read anyone on foot well before they'd discover us here.

I bought Bella to the hood of the car and sat her down onto it carefully. This was my beloved Aston, after all. I was worried about the little eyelets on the back of her skirt scratching the paint.

As she settled herself against the paintwork she spread her legs slightly and I got a nose and mouthful of her deliriously aroused scent.

Ah fuck it, it's only a bit of paint.

I pushed her backwards until she was lying against the still warm bonnet and I lowered myself to cover her delicious body. I ran a row of wet kisses up her throat and across her jaw before pulling her hair aside and biting down on her earlobe. She moaned that lovely, soft moan she often did when my teeth found her flesh. It never failed to excite me when she did that.

I kept up my assault of her skin using my teeth, my lips and my tongue just the way I knew she liked best. Teasing, tasting, nipping and biting my way across her face and neck and down to the top of her shirt. It needed to be gone now. I needed her tattoo in my mouth. I wanted to taste it. I slid one of the tiny little straps down her arm and then the other exposing the tops of her breasts to me. I started with the tattoo, of course. My name burned in my mouth as I ran my tongue over the raised lettering. I traced my tongue along the lines as Bella moaned and sighed underneath me.

I palmed her right breast as my mouth worked her left.

Pinching the nipple between my finger and thumb I felt her buck her hips into me and I couldn't help the self-satisfied grin it bought to my lips.

I raised myself up off her slightly and tugged her top the remaining few inches down to her waist. Her perfect nipples stood erect and begging for me to suck them, my venom shimmered brightly in the moonlight across the top of her left breast where I'd licked and sucked previously. I ran my thumb over her tattoo one last time and bent my head. As I sucked her nipple deeply into my mouth she arched her back and pressed herself into me, rolling her hips to increase the friction between us.

I knew she was desperate for release but I was in no hurry.

"Please Edward." She begged with a choked voice. I lifted my eyes and met hers. "Please." She whimpered again.

'I promise I'll make it good for you baby, please let me have my way.' I told her and watched as she sucked in a huge gulp of air over her teeth and closed her eyes as I bit down on the nipple in my mouth.

**BPOV**

I had been ready to explode _before_ we left the club so this, on the front of the car, was only adding to the torture for me.

I writhed and bucked and whimpered but he just wouldn't allow me my release.

I could hear in his mind that he was perfectly happy to take his time with me but I was a frustrated mess and needed a release, of any kind – I wasn't fussy by this point and was not above doing it myself if he didn't hurry up a little bit.

"Unngh." I knew my voice was raspy and needy and I was probably being greedy wanting him to go faster but I didn't care. "Please." I whispered again but it only seemed to slow him down further!

'_So desperate for me baby…you want to cum?'_ He asked silently as he rolled my nipple between his lips again. I couldn't believe he was asking me that!

"Yes!" I bellowed, frustrated beyond all belief. "Make me cum Edward…please…just once…please…" I hissed as he let my nipple go with a loud popping sound.

"Oh baby you have no idea how hot that sounds." He told me before he kissed me hard on the lips and then disappeared down the front of the car, only to emerge between my thighs a second later. I watched as he lifted the pleats of my skirt and folded them back onto themselves so it was now a bunched mess at my hips. He licked his lips lazily as his gaze settled on my satin covered sex. "Fucking gorgeous." He moaned, licking his bottom lip again. I was about to beg again when he swooped down and covered my entire sex with his mouth. Holy fuck!

'_You're fucking drenched Bella…for me…taste so divine…'_ He was mumbling as he locked his jaw and began to rub against me with his open mouth. Warm, moist air began to flow through the satin and I felt it against my clit and lips. I knew I was mewling like a sick kitten but I couldn't help it. His eyes were shining brightly, looking up at me through his lashes and I just couldn't handle any more.

I reached down and used my hands to pull his mouth harder onto my centre. I ground my hips up into his waiting mouth and then I rolled my hips so his tongue was now pressed directly over my clit. I closed my thighs around his glorious face and closed my eyes in expectation of the mind-blowing euphoria that was building in my belly.

'_Oh yeah baby…that's it Bella…cum for me…cum for me…' _He growled in his head and I felt the first stirrings of my orgasm begin to clutch in my groin.

"More Edward." I demanded, fisting his hair in my hands and pulling hard.

He tugged my panties aside and gave me one almighty lick from my entrance to my clit, he sucked it into his mouth and I was gone. Flying.

"Yes…oh yes…fuck…yes…Edward…yes…yes…" it was all I could do to make the sounds as my climax barreled through me. It began in the pit of my stomach, traveled through my sex and up to my brain, I trembled and shook as his teeth grazed my swollen and pulsating clit.

He slacked off the suction on my clit while I came but as the last of my shudders subsided he backed off and let it go, laying a few gentle kisses on my hips and tummy before he raised is face to mine, he grinning smugly.

**EPOV**

Nothing tasted better than Bella cumming on my tongue! The panties were soaked before I put my mouth on her, now they were a river. I wanted them. I needed them.

I hooked my thumbs into the elastic at her hips and pulled them off her body. I held them to my face and smothered my nose and mouth with them. I balled them up and put them in the other pocket of my jeans. She could have the others back when we got home. But for now I wanted them both, knowing they were in my pockets, covered in the evidence of her desire for me.

I wanted to drag it out further, I wanted her panting and begging for me again before I put her out of her misery but I just couldn't help myself. I needed her too. I needed to feel her around me.

I knew she'd given me her permission to bend her over the car and have her from behind but I wanted to make absolutely sure she was up for that before I turned her over. I just didn't know how one asked that type of question. 'I love you more than words could ever say and I'm desperate to fuck you, would you mind just turning your back to me while I do it?' didn't sound like a great way to go about it. Bit of a mood killer I'd wager.

I was about to broach the subject when she slid off the hood of the car, turned around and laid back down, face first. Her skirt had slid back down so it covered her butt cheeks but her top was still pooled around her waist, her breasts swinging freely as she moved. She braced her hands on the hood and tossed her hair over her right shoulder, and then she swung her head around so that I could see her face. "Is this what you want Edward?" She licked her lip and pushed her ass higher at me.

If I lived a thousand years nothing, and I mean nothing, would rival the sight of my mate in a submissive pose offering herself to me while she bent over the hood of my favourite car.

I wasted no time. I undid my belt, pulled my pants to my knees, and dragged my boxers down. I lifted the pleats of her skirt, dug my fingers into her hips to hold her steady and plunged myself into her in one swift, hard, long stroke.

The roar that came out of my throat shook the windows on the car and frightened the wildlife for miles.

'_Oh god…oh god…oh god…' _Bella whimpered as I rocked into her roughly.

'I know…I know…I know…' I replied. I was having trouble settling into a rhythm because every fucking stroke made my balls want to explode. She was so tight like this, every thrust bringing me closer to the prize of orgasm. 'So beautiful like this Bella…baby…love you…so good…too good…tell me you love it too…' I begged her as I slid further into the bliss that was about to rock my world.

'_So full Edward…I love it…I love you…take me with you…yes...'_ She whimpered in her head.

I bent over her, holding her to my chest. I wrapped my arms around her belly and held her as I rocked back and forth. She turned her head and accepted my tongue into her mouth with a whimper. I let my thumbs stroke the underside of her breasts and marveled at how deep I could go like this.

'I'm so close Bella…I can't…Bella…Bella…' the sentence wouldn't complete itself, my brain had switched off the function that allowed me to speak, even mentally. Bella's climax shook me to the core taking me with her. I bit down on the soft flesh where her shoulder met the back of her neck and cried out a guttural snarl as my orgasm ripped through my body, making me jerk and twitch through it. Bella milked all that I had and we were soon slumped over the bonnet of the car in a sweating, heaving heap.

"I love clubbing." Bella mumbled.

"Yeah, me too." I agreed.

**BPOV**

We left the Aston parked in that little layby and went off for a quick hunt. It was furious, fast and clean. Very satisfying. I found that my thirst was heightened a little after such a frenzied evening. Being surrounded by hot, sweating humans had made me thirsty, for sure, but the blindingly orgasmic time I'd had with Edward had doubled my need to hunt.

Halfway home to Forks I began to tease Edward again. I made many references to the contents of his pockets and what it was like for me to sit in the car bare, to hunt bare and told him over and over that I wanted him again before we got home to Carlisle and Esme.

He had me that time in the back of the car, again at the base of a tree after parking the car in the emergency lane on the highway and running into the forest and we decided to stop not long after the off ramp to Forks and make love again in the tall grass of our meadow while the sun rose over the mountains.

It surprised nobody when we arrived back at the house at 7 am disheveled and very, very pleased with each other and ourselves. We ignored the innuendos and the catcalls and went straight up to our room to make love one last time before Edward had to meet the pack at the Rez.

I fell asleep in our bed listening to Edward playing my lullaby on my ipod.


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45 Insurance Policies

**EPOV**

I watched her sleep for as long as I could before I had to get ready to go to the Rez. I wanted to play for her but had to settle for plugging in her ipod instead.

God she was magnificent. Resplendent. Beautiful. Intoxicating. Supine. Stunning. Mine. I rubbed her tiny baby belly and wrenched myself up out of the bed.

I showered quietly and quickly not wanting to disturb her well-earned sleep.

Only one thought ran through my mind over and over as I dressed silently.

How in hell had I managed to live for a hundred and nine years without her?

She'd made me promise to take her clubbing again, soon, of course I'd agreed. Only a fucking idiot would say no to that. She'd also made mention of the paint scratches on the hood of the Aston and how much shtick we'd garner for that once everyone else noticed. I couldn't have cared less. I hope they did work out how they'd gotten there. I hoped they hung shit on me for it, I hoped I was able to keep mum about the details while basking in the glory that is 'hood ornament sex' as Bella had christened it.

I'd teased Bella about 'breaking in' one of our other cars and she'd played along, but all the while I was wondering if she really would like to do that. Would she want me to have her in them, on them, like I had last night? The slight clench of my balls as I thought about buying a car _specifically_ so we could destroy the paintwork like that…well, lets just say that that particular fantasy has just risen to the top of the pile!

I'd loved it so much I was toying with the idea of leaving the scratches there to remind me always. Not that I was likely to ever forget last night. Ever. And it had nothing to do with the fact that my vampire mind would recall everything about it for eternity. Even if I were a human I would've remembered a night like this for as long as I was alive. I'd bet my charred and blackened soul on it.

I kissed her once more on her forehead and told her I loved her before going downstairs to greet the day.

I found Esme in the kitchen packing up a large container of what were obviously cookies but that smelled like dirt.

"I'd like to be the sort of son that told his mother that they smelled wonderful and could I pretty please have one, but they smell gross. Morning." I told Esme and kissed her at her temple.

"Good morning dear. These are for the boys, will you take them with you today please?" she asked and I nodded. "How is Bella this morning?" She asked with a soft giggle.

"Hmmm, how to answer that?" I mused, rubbing my chin and watching Esme shake with laughter. "Do you want the truth or a nicety Esme?"

"Just the niceties thank you Edward." She laughed.

"She is very well thank you for asking." I said formally. "She's asleep for now. I have to go in a minute, will you look in on her in a bit for me?" I asked.

"Of course. Did you have a nice time at the club? How did Bella go with all the bodies packed in there?" She pushed the now full box of cookies towards me and I put them into my backpack. I'd packed a change of clothes and some swimming things, a spare pair of shoes and towel.

"She was flawless of course. Did Emmett tell you about his and Jasper's big test?" I asked, rolling my eyes.

"Oh yes, they were full of the story when they came home. Alice and Rose are determined to have a turn you know. They want to hire Jasper's services for Bella's hens night but he's begged off citing the 'no males allowed' rule." She laughed.

"I didn't know Bella was having a hen night. Does she know about it?"

"Not yet, no. Alice is organizing it of course. What are you boys planning?"

"Nothing if I can swing it." I mumbled under my breath but of course she heard me.

"Not very likely dear. You know your brothers have waited for this for a long time. Carlisle is fairly jumping out of his skin he's so excited about being drunk!"

Brilliant. "Where is everyone by the way?" I asked.

"Alice and Rose have gone back to Port Angeles to pick up Bella's things for Italy. Emmett is at Charlie's, something about getting a possum out of his roof. Jasper is with Carlisle, they've gone to the Olympia Library. Jasper wants copies of some birth records for his book and Carlisle ordered a medical journal and they phoned to say it's come in and today is his last chance to collect it before you leave tomorrow." She said all this as if it was all run of the mill things.

"What things could Bella need for Italy that she doesn't already own?" I asked.

"Specific clothing I think dear. Also more of those colored contact lenses." I picked up the dishtowel and began to dry the items she was washing. I stacked them back onto the counter as the conversation continued.

"I hadn't thought about her eyes. She's nearly there though, they're getting lighter everyday." I said idly. "By the time the wedding comes around she should be right."

"Less than three weeks now Edward. How does that feel dear?" She asked with a soft pat to my forearm.

I sighed and thought about how it would feel to finally have her as mine in every way possible. "It can't come soon enough Esme. I'm desperate for it to be done, I think she is too."

"I know she is. The charms coming every day torment her you know? Reminding her just how many days there are still to go. She likes it, don't get me wrong, but it's still frustrating for her."

"For me too. Which reminds me. Her charms will still keep coming while we're away. Will you watch out for them please?"

"Of course dear, they'll be here when you get back." She threw a glance at the clock on the wall and tutted. "You're going to be late dear."

I looked at my watch and saw that it was already five minutes to eleven. I looked up the staircase and listened for any sign that Bella was stirring. I'd love to see her for a few more minutes before I left but she'd not waken for another hour or more if she stayed true to form. "Please keep an eye on her for me Es." I kissed her lightly at her cheek and headed off to the Rez.

**BPOV**

The bedside clock told me it was midday but that couldn't be right, could it?

I stretched lazily and got myself up and moving so I didn't waste what was left of the day.

I had a quick shower and dried my hair before dressing in casual jeans and a jersey. I tidied our room and took our dirty clothes to the laundry room before going to find whoever was still in the house.

I could hear Esme but nobody else. Very strange for a Sunday.

"Come in when you're ready Bella." Esme called from the second floor.

I found her in Carlisle's study of all places. I doubted I'd ever seen her in there before. I sat on his sofa and waited while Esme replaced the books onto the high shelves. "How did you sleep dear?"

"Very well, thank you. Where is everyone?" I asked against the silence.

"They are all out doing various jobs and chores dear. Of course Edward has gone off with his friends to the Rez but the others will be back very soon I think." I watched as she dusted the tall shelves and pushed the spines of Carlisle's books so they were flush with the front of the cabinets again.

"I don't think I've ever had a day yet where I'm not supposed to be somewhere doing something. I'm at a loose end, it feels very strange."

"I'd wager it does. Such a whirlwind for you lately. Are you excited to be traveling tomorrow?" she asked as she jumped lightly down onto the hardwood floor without a sound.

"Yeah, I am actually. I've never been anywhere, ever. The longest trip I've ever taken was to move here from Phoenix!" I giggled and Esme joined in.

"You'll love Italy. It's so romantic there. I know Edward is beside himself to be taking you." She smiled indulgently at me as she straightened the papers and books on Carlisle's desk. "Shall we?" She gestured toward the door and we left, shutting the door quietly.

"I wish you were coming with us." I told her genuinely.

"Yes, I did give it some thought but I think it's best that the three of you do this together, as quickly as you can and with as little fuss as possible." She told me as we moved into the kitchen. Esme reached for her house keys. "Shall we hunt Bella?"

"Yes please." I told her, reaching for my throat. "I still wish you were coming tomorrow Es, maybe one day we'll go together?" I asked.

"I'd like that dear. Now, come on, I'll race you to the foot of the mountain, I'm in the mood for some mountain lion."

**EPOV**

I was around two hundred yards from the edge of the cliffs, treading water while I watched the last of the pack jump from the highest cliff perch. Seth was to my left and Sam was to my right and I'd never felt better!

The exhilarating rush I'd felt on my first leap hadn't left me the entire day. I'd been greeted warmly, like a brother, at the entrance to the Rez. Seth had chosen to travel with me to the head of the rocky point and we'd chatted amiably about the upcoming trip and all things Bella.

Seth showed me the place we'd be jumping from and I allowed him to 'coach' me on proper etiquette and technique.

He'd been so pleased to be able to teach me something I'd let him have his head. When the entire pack had gathered at the edge of the cliff face a mighty game of rock paper scissors was had to determine who'd jump first today. I was interested to note that Leah Clearwater had won and was eager to show her pack brothers that she could hold her own amongst the male gang. I longed to tell her that not a single mental voice around us doubted her ability or her bravery as she jumped. I leaned over the edge and watched as she hit the water – feet first – and held my breath as I waited for her to surface a little ways out into the open water. She turned immediately and gave the thumbs up to Sam who I noticed watched and waited eager to see she was unharmed.

Of course I knew the story of the love triangle that existed between Sam, Leah and Emily, but it was interesting to note that Sam really did hold Leah in high regard and he was very protective of her still.

Next to leap was Jared who took no time to run to the edge and launch himself into the waiting water below. He howled and bellowed his entire descent making the remaining pack shiver in anticipation.

The pack dynamic was interesting to watch as one after another they jumped, each trying to appear more brave, more willing, more dare devilish than the last.

Pretty soon all that remained was Sam Seth and I.

"After you pretty boy." Sam encouraged, waving a hand at me.

"Oh, I'm pretty boy am I?" I chuckled darkly.

I pulled my shirt off over my head and threw it onto the backpack I'd put at the foot of a nearby tree. I smiled widely at Seth and ran to the edge of the cliff and jumped without taking a breath.

It was exhilarating. The fall was quite high, maybe sixty feet in total and the water below was very deep so I could plunge head first into it and not reach the bottom without considerable effort. I knew the others would be waiting to see me surface before the next leap was made so I used my time under the waves to move myself further out into open water before I broke the surface. I turned and gave the thumbs up to Seth and Sam as they watched from the rocky peak.

"_Cannonball!"_ Seth yelled in his mind as he plummeted headlong off the cliff. He was fearless in his approach. He clasped his hands above his head and dived cleanly into the waiting waves. He was yelling his pleasure as he shot out of the water twenty meters out from where he'd entered it.

"Awesome isn't it Edward?" He called to me.

"Brilliant." I agreed as we began to tread water while we waited for Sam to make the last leap of the round.

By four o'clock I'd made maybe two dozen jumps and I was in no way ready to retire for the day, neither were the wolves.

"If you make the triple I'll buy you a slab!" Embry called to Jared as he came to the edge of the cliff, looking over to make sure the water was clear of the previous jumper before he made his leap. He threw us a thumbs up and he backed away from the edge again.

The pack howled into the salty air as their pack brother leapt off the rocky platform and executed a perfect triple somersault. He hit the water with his outstretched arms, as would any platform diver although he made a tremendous splash as his legs curled over at the last second. He was greeted with whoops and hollers – my own included – when he resurfaced fifty yards further out from the rocks from where he entered the water.

"That's a slab from you Embry." He confirmed with a smug grin.

"I'll happily pay up." Embry confirmed.

"You want another go Ed?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, sure." I began the swim back to the beach to take my turn to jump.

Seth, Sam, Paul and Quil swam with me, flanking me in pairs on either side as we all raced to be the first to break the waves, the order in which we hit the sand would determine the order in which we jumped next. This had been our side game all day. We'd split into two groups though it wasn't a conscious decision by anyone in particular, it just naturally occurred that way.

I easily out stroked both Quil and Seth but had to almost double my work rate to stay ahead of Sam and Paul, the much bigger of the four wolves even in their human forms.

I hit the sand first followed by Sam then Paul, Seth then Quil. I clapped Seth on his back as we made our way up the steep path to the jumping platform high above the breaking surf. "How many jumps you made today kid?" I asked him teasingly.

"Eleven, you old man?" He teased me right back.

"About twenty I think." I laughed. "You'll all be bitching about being hungry soon I reckon and I've got to get home to Bella pretty soon, so I'll make this my last jump for today, okay?"

"Sure Edward. We'll head back when you're ready to leave." Sam confirmed as he came to stand by us at the head of the cliff.

I reached into my backpack and took a quick look at my cell phone. No messages. Good. That meant all was well at the house. I was eager to see Bella but I wanted just one more jump today. I was sure this was something I'd be doing again though. "After I hit the water I'm coming up here to collect my things then I'm going to head on out. You know we're going to Italy tomorrow right?" I waited for Sam to nod before I continued. "I'll bring Bella by on Friday when we get back, I know she'll want to see you all. But we'll do this again sometime yeah?" I gestured towards the water and the four wolves began howling. "I'll take that as a yes." And with that I ran to the edge of the cliff and took an almighty leap.

I had plenty of time to adjust my body so that I'd hit the water just so. As I curved through the air through the apex of the swan dive I took half a second to look out over the water and take in the breaking waves below. The creamy froth of the sea foam came up to meet me as my hands broke the surface tension of the water with a loud pop. I speared through the surface so fast I was forced into the warm water to where it was it's very blackest, lacking any light. I had no need of oxygen so I could take my time returning to the churning waves above. As I broke through I turned to look up at the cliff in time to see and hear the wolves celebrating my dive. I gave them a slight wave and then began to stroke away towards the little beach.

By the time I hit the top of the cliffs again our roles had reversed. I now stood at the top looking down on the four wolves bobbing up and down in the inky black ocean below.

"_Look after her in Italy Edward."_ I caught from Seth's mind as I pulled the backpack into the Guardian and headed for home. I will Seth, I will.

**BPOV**

"Any changes for me today Bella?" Carlisle asked me as he came around to sit at his desk in front of me.

"The only thing I've noticed, and I'm sure it's not a problem, is that I'm tiring faster now. And this of course." I lifted my jersey and showed Carlisle the little bump I now sported between my hipbones.

He smiled warmly and clasped his hands together in happiness. "It looks good on you."

"Thanks, but at this rate I'll be monstrous by the time the wedding comes and we both know what that will mean." I grimaced.

"Hmm, Alice." He mused with a laugh.

"Exactly." I agreed.

"Are you gaining significant weight then?" He asked as he reached for my weight chart across the space between us.

"No, not really. Well, not huge amounts anyway, but a steady gain I suppose. But that would be normal even if I was still human, right?" I asked.

"Yes, exactly. I've been looking over human pregnancy growth charts this week and I think I've been able to plot your gestation rate, give or take a few weeks anyway. Would you like to see the results?" He asked me.

"I'd love to, but can we wait until Edward gets home? You're only going to have to explain it all over again when he gets here anyway." I chuckled.

"Yes of course. I have some things to put in order before our trip tomorrow, when he gets home bring him in and we'll go through it together."

"Thanks dad. I will." I took a blank weight chart from the folder on the desk and went up to our bathroom to put it on the counter.

I was lying on the sofa flicking through channels absently when I heard the Guardian in the driveway. '_Meet me on the jetty my Isabella.' _Edward was fairly yelling this in his head as he parked the car in the garage. A shiver of anticipation overtook my body as I took in the needy desperation of his thoughts.

I threw the remote onto the end of the bed and flung myself out the double glass doors at the end of our room and then I skipped across the lawn to the jetty. He was already there, waiting for me, leaning against the railing, trailing his toes through the water. He'd not changed from his swimming shorts after his day at the beach with the wolves and the sight of his bare chest and the muscles in his calves flexing as he swished the water with his feet made me moan out loud. He turned to face me with a smug grin on his face.

'_I need you.' _He told me silently and I nodded minutely to let him know I'd heard and that I felt the same. '_Swim with me.' _He asked via his thoughts, he held out a hand to me and I eagerly took it with my own.

I let him pull my jersey off over my head while I toed my shoes and socks off, leaving them in a pile with my jeans on the jetty. He slipped into the water from the end of the jetty without a ripple to the surface of the water. He swam away from it but then turned and came back to the edge, holding onto it with his fingertips. I sat on the end, between his hands and slid down the worn timber until I was in his arms. As soon as I was fully submerged his lips were on mine. Never breaking the kiss he swam us, using only his legs, out into the middle of the river where the water was its deepest.

I could hear that the others had returned to the house by the time Edward and I emerged from the river. The sun had long since set and as we walked hand in hand up the lawn and into the kitchen we were bombarded with questions from one and all.

Were we excited to be traveling in the morning? How was the cliff diving? How was our swim? Was it true that Carlisle had news on when the baby would be due? How was Seth after Friday nights dance? Would this be my first trip overseas? Did I want to go and see all the clothes the girls had bought for me today?

The answers were varied and interesting but in reality all either of us wanted to do was go and sit with Carlisle in his study and see this chart he had devised. So after carefully – so as to not hurt anyone's feelings – answering all the questions as best we could we excused ourselves and headed off to meet with Carlisle.

He waved me back into the visitors chair and Edward chose to stand beside me, one hand resting lightly on my shoulder.

"Okay, so this line here marks the growth rate of a normal human pregnancy. Forty weeks, as we know. That's the red line there." He pointed to a long, thick red line that ran from the bottom left hand corner of the graph to the top right hand corner. Marked along the bottom of the page were the forty weeks of a woman's pregnancy. At the left was the weight gain she'd expect to make and also the expected weight of the baby if it was delivered at any point along the axis. "The blue line marks the projected gestation of your baby as best as I can predict it."

I traced the line with my finger to where it stopped a full two thirds short of the forty week pregnancy limits. Three months. Our baby would only take three months to be ready to be born. Only three months. I was nearing half that now!

I felt the gasp escape my lips before I had a chance to rethink it.

'_Fuck.' _Edward too couldn't control his initial shock. "Okay, so three months. We can handle that. That gives us about seven weeks to go, right?" He asked Carlisle who was nodding solemnly in agreement. "Okay. Right. So we go to Italy and we find out what we can and we come home, get married, and have a baby. Easy." He swept a hand through his hair and let out the breath he'd been holding. He was thinking how it was going to be anything but easy but he didn't want to put voice to it even though he knew I'd already read it from him.

I tried to refocus my muddled brain. "It's only your best guess though, right Carlisle? It could be longer too, right?" I asked, hoping we had a little more time to play with, to plan. "You can't be sure and nobody really knows how long it's going to take, so we might be way off here." My words were coming out faster as my panic grew. "We might learn something in Italy that can help predict it better, that's possible, right?" I was a straw clutcher from way back.

Carlisle smiled at me indulgently but shook his head. "I don't think we'll learn too much more about this part of the process from Nathaniel himself, no. He can hardly have been privy to his own growth rate whilst in the womb and as you both know his mother is no longer with us to share her knowledge. We've been unsuccessful reaching his father, whom he hasn't seen for quite some time by all accounts." Carlisle was careful to word his answer in such a way as not to upset either of us but I couldn't deny the rising panic I felt creeping into my mind and body as I processed this latest piece of information. Three months. Half of which had already passed. Oh my god, what have we done?

**EPOV**

Bella looked paler than normal, panicked, frightened. God. It was so soon, too soon. We didn't know what to do, how to do it or anything about what the fuck was going on inside her.

I tried so hard to reign in my rampant panic but it was a futile attempt. I blew out the breath I'd been holding and looked once again at that fucking blue line on the chart. My brain was already processing how many days were left, how many hours I'd have with her before…oh god I could lose her, both of them.

I could feel myself stumbling but could do nothing to stop it. My knees hit the edge of Carlisle's office sofa and I crumpled onto it with a loud groan. Bella was clutching at her belly with both hands, rubbing across it, mumbling to herself. Carlisle sat stoically in his chair, his head in his hands, his eyes closed.

All at once the tension eased out of my frame, my hands unclenched and a sweet sense of bliss enveloped my whole body. Jasper.

He stood behind Bella's seat with his palms on her shoulders, breathing steadily with her as she blew air out over her teeth trying to stave off the panic she had been riddled with only seconds ago.

"Thanks Jaz." I mumbled and heard him grunt in reply. I knew it took a lot of his energy to remove our anguished feelings from us so I left him alone while he concentrated on Bella.

'_I didn't mean to upset her Edward, I'm truly sorry.' _Carlisle told me across his desk, his eyes showing me his sorry as much as his silent thoughts did.

"I know Carlisle, I'm glad you didn't keep this from us. This is something we needed to know, however frightening it is to hear it. Is there anything you need of me before we leave in the morning?" I asked. He shook his head and said no, everything was under control. "Come Bella, come to bed love." I asked her, offering her my hand.

She raised her eyes to Carlisle and said her goodnights, echoing my thanks for the information, however scary it may have been. She hugged Jasper tightly and thanked him for his calming effects. She took my hand and I led her out onto the landing. I folded her into my arms and told her how much I loved her, how we'd face all this together, how we'd soon be holding a precious baby and that I'd make sure no harm came to either of them. She nodded into my chest but kept silent. After a few moments she raised her eyes to mine and smiled. "You go on up, I'd like a minute with the girls." I had no idea what she needed from them but I kissed her lightly at the corner of her mouth and told her I'd be waiting in our room when she was ready.

She patted my hand and was gone down the stairs in an instant, calling softly for Esme and her sisters.

I hated listening out for the conversation she was about to have but I couldn't help myself. I sunk into the plush leather of our sofa and waited.

**BPOV**

The four of us sat around Esme's drafting table high up in her loft. For the first few minutes we just stared at each other. They all knew what Carlisle's chart had told Edward and I, so there was at least no need for me to break the news to them out loud. They seemed equally as shocked as both Edward and I had been.

There were things I needed to say, things I needed to ask of them but for a little while I just couldn't articulate all the thoughts in my head. So I just sat, staring.

It was Rose who broke the silence first.

"Okay, so seven weeks. Silver lining and all that, right? We're not going to have to wait to see whether it's a boy or a girl. That's the best I can do at short notice." She crinkled up her eyes and nose at her feeble attempt to lighten the mood, but I appreciated the effort all the same.

"Thanks Rose. And I agree. Imagine having to be a horrid human and wait nine months to find out. Blurrgh. Hey, I just thought of another plus. I don't think I'll get stretch marks." I shrugged, hoping they'd see the funny side of that.

They did. Bless them. Esme started giggling first but pretty soon they all joined in. The awkwardness was gone from the room now, so we settled in to discuss details.

"Alice, I'm so sorry about this but the dress you we've picked just isn't going to work now. I'm going to be rather large by the time the wedding comes around. I'm so sorry."

"Oh pish. You'll only be as big as a human would be at her halfway point, some women are tiny at five months, and you might be too. So I'm not going to ditch plan A just yet. But I will organize a plan B, okay?" She smiled and I giggled.

"Thanks Alice. Esme, will you go to Renee tomorrow and let her know what we found out tonight? She's going to worry and she's going to panic, but please just reassure her that everything will be fine, just lie." I told her honestly.

"Of course Bella, I'll go to her tomorrow morning, as soon as you leave." She told me kindly.

"What about me Bella?" Rose asked, looking a little put out that I hadn't yet given her a job to do while I was away.

"Ahh, Rose, I have a little something to ask of you too. But this is a little more delicate than what I've asked of the other two. And please, please say no if you can't do this, promise me you'll be honest, okay?" I pled.

"Of course. Whatever you need Bella." She promised.

I knew I hadn't discussed this with Edward yet but felt it was important enough that he'd understand my need to arrange this now, with so little time when we returned to make things right it might get lost in the lead up to the wedding and what not. I couldn't risk that. "By the time we return from Italy there are only two weeks to the wedding, right?" The three of them nodded. "Edward and I will be away for at least a week after that, so by the time we come back from our honeymoon I'll only have four weeks at the most before the baby is born. That's if it comes on time. I'm so worried that something will happen to me, or it, or both, or god…there are so many variables to this. I want to cover as many bases as possible Rose, and remember you promised to be honest. Rose I want you to be the baby's godmother. Will you organize for it to be baptized the instant it's born please? "

I don't know what sort of reaction I expected but it wasn't the one I got. She launched herself from the other side of the table and tackled me to the floor in a tight bear hug. She kissed my cheek over and over and told me how she'd love to be my baby's godmother. She thanked me so often her words all melded into one and came out sounding a bit like 'tang-oo'.

I'd never seen Rose so happy, she was beaming and hadn't stopped for breath half the night!

Alice said over and over how much she wished we were all traveling together tomorrow and all of us agreed that it would be something we'd love to do, travel as one family, in the future.

By the time I extricated myself from the three of them for the night it was after midnight. I said my goodnights and went to our room to find Edward with his ipod lodged firmly into his ears – probably to drone us out even though I knew he couldn't escape the mental voices – and listening to some opera or other very loudly. Of course he knew I was there, he'd smelled me long before I came to sit between his knees on the floor. I leaned my head back until it was in his lap and he began to stroke my hair absently. He smiled down at me and kissed me lightly on the forehead.

"Are you okay baby?" He asked in a whisper.

"Yeah, you?" I asked, knowing he'd been as upset, or at the very least worried, as I had been about Carlisle's predictions tonight.

"I will be. Is there something you'd like to talk to me about Bella?" He asked with a smug grin.

"Um, yeah. So you heard, right?" I asked and he nodded, letting me off the hook for that part at least. "Well, and I know I haven't discussed this with you and I know you aren't religious and neither am I, and well…oh I don't know, it seemed like it was important to do it. Sort of like an insurance policy, you know? And who better than Rose? You know she'll protect this baby with her own life, they all would, but Rose…" He cut me off with his lips.


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46 Destination Florence

**EPOV**

Of course I'd agreed that the baby should be baptized the instant it was born and that there was nobody better to entrust with that than Rosie. I'd asked Bella if she'd allow me to ask Emmett to be the babies godfather and she'd agreed readily. I didn't want to be seen to exclude anyone in particular from the process and felt bad that the others were not chosen, but the choice was made for a reason. Which was something I'd address with the others in due course.

Once we'd settled in for the night Bella and I managed to talk through Carlisle's chart and all the worry and concern it had bought with it to our lives. In the end we'd agreed that what will be will be, we were powerless to change the timeline, no matter how short it was destined to be and we had to concentrate on the wellbeing of the baby rather than when it was to be born.

We'd created the life inside her and now we had to be ready to take care of it when the time came. I felt better having spoken to her about it, she helped me reconcile the information with the panic it induced and together we'd come to understand it more fully.

By 2am my statement in Carlisle's office was our new reality. We'd go to Italy and find out all we could. We'd come home, get married, go on our honeymoon as planned and then come home and have a baby. Easy. Ish.

Alice had come to our room soon after to discuss the scent she'd picked off the buffoon at the club. Our new timeline and it's implications needed to be shared with the others so it was decided that we'd have a quick meeting and then we'd head off to Seattle before first light.

We all sat around the dining room table as Carlisle did his best to share his time scale with the whole family. Messages of sympathy and anticipation were shared amongst the family before we moved on to our plans for the near future.

"Nothing's changed really. We can't change the date of the wedding now that the invitations have gone out so we're going to just leave everything as it is." I told them all.

Emmett was unusually agitated through the start of the meeting and I was busy picking through his thoughts to find out why when I realised he was staring at me blankly. "What is it Em?" I asked, worried now.

"Do you think those fuckers, sorry Esme, know how long until Bella gives birth?" He asked with a grimace.

Shit, I'd not given them a single thought until he mentioned them just now. "Fuck." It was out of my mouth before I had a chance to stifle it. "Sorry Esme. I don't know Em. What do you think?"

He cuffed the back of his neck with his massive hand and bowed his head. "I don't know man. If they do then that's just stepped up the time frame for them to make their move a whole fucking lot quicker, sorry Esme."

I looked to Carlisle and asked him to please put voice to what he was thinking so the others would know where he was heading. "I don't see how they could know the gestational rate. As far as I know none of them has any medical background and it took me over a month to come to the conclusions I've come to today and that's after extensive research. They haven't laid eyes on Bella so they can't know that she's showing, I doubt any of them know when she got pregnant, that would be impossible." He said matter of factly and the room around me relaxed a little.

I had no doubt that Emmett was right but perhaps we could use this new information to our benefit. "I think you're right Em, this will step things up but that could help us. We have an idea of a timeframe now, they don't. They'll have no idea when she's due and they wont have any idea even how far along she is unless they actually see her for themselves and we aren't going to let that happen anytime soon. So hopefully the baby will be born before any of them realize and then we'll be better prepared to defend it if and when they make their move."

Emmett began to nod violently and I knew he, as well as the others, could see the logic in my point. That diffused the situation sufficiently and we were soon all busily getting the car packed ready for our departure.

**BPOV**

I had been hugged dramatically and told to take things easy/ be careful/ take good care / travel safe and to come home safely. It was as though none of them could bear to be parted with me for even these few days. It gave me a very warm sense of belonging as I waved from the back window of Carlisle's Mercedes.

I watched, amazed, as Esme dabbed at her dry eyes and Jasper folded her into a tight hug as we turned out of the drive and headed for the highway.

It was a three hour drive to Seattle but we broke the trip after only half an hour to allow me to hunt one last time before the long journey would begin. The total traveling time, was close to a full 24 hours from when we'd board the private rented jet at Sea-Tac until we'd reach the airport in Florence so I had to take advantage of the chance I was given to gorge myself.

They both flanked me as we ran from the edge of the road into the dense forest. Carlisle went north as soon as it was safe to split up but Edward stuck pretty close to me, not wanting me out on my own. I had taken down two large male deer when Edward dropped a smaller female at the base of a tree for me before slinking backing away slowly and leaving me to feed. I felt sloshy again, my stomach brimming with warm, wet blood. I could actually feel it slopping from side to side inside me as we ran hand in hand back to where the car was parked.

Carlisle was already behind the wheel and within seconds of being in the car we were once again speeding along the highway.

This was going to be the longest I'd ever gone without hunting and it would also be interspersed with bouts of human interaction when we needed to land to refuel twice on the way. I was nervous about it but I knew that neither Edward nor Carlisle would let anything happen to me or to any human near me.

Edward held me to him as I sprawled along the backseat. We chatted with Carlisle, mostly about what we hoped to learn in Italy, and soon we were pulling into the long term parking bay at the end of the Sea-Tac terminal building.

Edward loaded our baggage onto a little trolley and Carlisle guided us through the terminal until we came to a counter with a large banner announcing that 'Alliance Jets' was open for business despite the absurdly early hour.

"Three passengers in the name of Cullen traveling to New York." Carlisle announced as he fronted the counter.

I could only imagine the smile he had bestowed on the blonde behind the counter because her reaction wasn't at all abnormal when confronted with the brilliance that was a Cullen male. I remembered all too well the overwhelming feeling of being dazzled by one of them!

She began tapping at a keyboard hidden under the high counter and was soon nodding and checking things off Carlisle's paperwork. "Dr Cullen, Mr Edward and Mrs Isabella Cullen here we are. They are all ready for you on the tarmac, if you'll please just sign here and here, where the little crosses are and could I ask for a copy of your credentials Dr Cullen?" Carlisle pushed the little plastic coated folder across the counter to her and she took it and made a copy of it before returning it to him with a wide smile. "Thank you. If you could put your luggage on the conveyor I'll have it bought to the plane for you shortly. Please make your way out the gate, Tony will escort you to your aircraft. Thank you for choosing Alliance Jets Dr Cullen, I hope you'll have a pleasant flight." She smiled again and gestured for us to follow Carlisle through the glass doors and out onto the asphalt where a gleaming white jet stood, doors open, waiting for us.

I took a good gulp of the clean air outside as Edward ushered me through.

Edward put his hand on the small of my back as we ascended the stairs and as we came to the top Carlisle turned and told us he'd see us again in New York, then he turned left through a little door and went into what I assumed was the cockpit.

There was a very blonde and very effeminate man standing at the entrance to the galley area of the plane who threw me a wide – if somewhat frightened – smile and ushered both Edward and I into the seating area.

"Please make yourself comfortable. Can I get you something to drink while you await take off sir, ma'am?" He asked.

"No, thank you." I mumbled hoping he'd be leaving the plane before we took off. I hadn't ever thought to ask if the flight was staffed. Could I control myself with a human onboard an enclosed plane for 24 hours? Edward must have seen the look on my face because as soon as he'd told the steward he didn't need anything he took me into his arms and kissed me lightly on the temple.

'He'll leave before we fly Bella. Don't worry love, it will just be the three of us once we're in the air.'

I must have relaxed because his light chuckle reverberated around the cabin as he let me go and flopped down into one of the gold leather seats. "Have a look around love." He told me as he picked up the magazine off the small table to the side.

From where I stood at the head of the seating area I could see eight plush leather seats each of them in pairs as they faced a small dining table/ desk between them, leaving the aisle clear down the centre of the planes body. A sliding door was ajar beyond the seats and I moved down between them until I was stood in front of opposing leather sofas that were easily eight feet long each. They were so deep it was obvious that they doubled as beds on long haul flights. Another partly open door further along gave me a glimpse at a gleaming bathroom. I pushed the door more fully open and looked inside. A full sized shower complete with gold tap ware and glass door was on the left while a toilet and vanity basin was on the opposite side of the small room. More gold tap ware and accessories adorned the counter tops.

I went back and joined Edward in the opposing chair he'd chosen for himself.

"It's amazing." I told him as I fingered the shiny wood of the tabletop.

"I've not been on this model one before either. This tells me it has a satellite phone, fax, scanner, printer and high definition flat screens for watching movies. Huh." He huffed, hardly impressed.

"You're such a snob Mr Cullen." I giggled.

"Yes, well, Mrs Cullen," he emphasized the name and raised his eyebrows to punctuate it even further, "You should take note of your surroundings and get yourself acquainted with this finery."

I wrinkled my nose at the thought but said nothing. Our steward was back. I held my breath again as he approached us from the front of the plane. "Your flight checks are complete and you are go for take off. If there is nothing else Mr and Mrs Cullen?" He asked with a slight bow.

"No, thank you." Edward said curtly and I watched as the steward backed out of the door and secured it behind him. I watched out the window beside me as he gestured to someone on the ground. Within seconds two men came and wheeled the stairs away from the side of the plane. And then we were moving.

**EPOV**

I knew she was nervous. I could see it on her face and her leg was jerking uncontrollably as we took off into the air.

I reached across the small table between us and stroked her fingers, she relaxed and gave me a shy smile. "Relax baby, everything's fine." I told her and earned another smile, this one more confident.

Once we'd reached our cruising altitude I took her up front to visit with Carlisle. All that she saw instantly intrigued her. She sat beside him and asked hundreds of questions that of course he was more than pleased to answer.

Before long he was telling us to take our seats as we were approaching New York. It had been a six hour flight but it seemed like only minutes since we'd taken off from Seattle. I hoped, for Bella's sake, that the next leg of the journey would go as smoothly. She'd now been without fresh oxygen for the entire flight and I would admit I was concerned how she would handle the rush of human scent as the exit door was opened onto the tarmac in New York.

"I'll be fine Edward." She told me, having read my concerns.

"We have to go into the terminal here love. We'll need to go through customs and have our passports checked and stamped before we can leave again. The plane will be refueled while we do that." I told her.

"Who am I traveling as?" She asked and I realized she hadn't had a hand in organizing any part of this trip. I was sorry about that. I didn't want to be seen to be taking her choices away, again. "You're not Edward. I just wondered, in case someone calls my name, which name I should answer to." She laughed.

"Oh right. Um, you're flying as Mrs Isabella Marie Cullen. Everything else is the same, birthdate, birthplace, address is the Cullen house in Forks. Um, we were married the date of your change, should anyone ask." I told her with a smug smirk. I couldn't wait until we were actually married and I could call her my wife, but for now this practicing would suffice.

"I can't wait either baby." She returned my smirk.

"If you would please make your way to the double doors at the end of this vista Michael will accompany your party to your aircraft which has now been cleared for take off." The hostess waved us through the gate with a flourish and a wide smile at my fiancé and an even wider one at my father. She was wondering if Carlisle had ever considered joining the mile high club and whether she should volunteer to initiate him. Shudder.

Bella was giggling softly beside me as we made our way through the terminal and out into the fresh air once again. I heard her take in a large gulp of the cool air and felt her relax beside me as we walked. We followed the same routine we had in Seattle and we were soon in the air for the nine hour flight to Zurich.

By the time we passed through customs at the Zurich terminal Bella was struggling with her thirst. We had a two and a half hour wait in Switzerland for refueling that was unfortunately unavoidable. We managed to seclude ourselves into a Club Class lounge for the duration and were lucky that we'd timed our flight path so that we'd hit Zurich so early in the morning. The real rush was yet to start at this busy airport so we had the lounge basically to ourselves. I cradled her in my lap, her pretending to sleep but really she was holding her breath and trying not to think about the ache in her throat. I knew the instant we landed in Florence she'd need to hunt. Carlisle had already caught on to the problem and was prepared to get us out of the city and into the private hunting grounds as soon as was practical upon landing.

When our names were called over the tannoy Bella leapt to her feet and was ready to be in the easy confines of the aircraft in half a second. I held her hand firmly as we once again boarded. It was only a two hour flight to Florence from here so I placated her with thoughts that it would only be three hours, at the most, before she could feed.

I tucked her up onto one of the long sofas in the rear of the plane and left her to rest as best she could for the short hop.

I went to keep Carlisle company in the cockpit.

**BPOV**

Carlisle whisked us out of the Florence airport and into a rented Mercedes within minutes of the engines stopping their last rotation. Edward told me it was only twelve miles from the airport to the private property we'd use to hunt during our trip and I could already feel my venom pooling at the thought of hunting.

Public hunting was prohibited in Italy but private citizens had opened their land up for use as game parks for hundreds of years now. Carlisle had arranged for us to have access to one – run by a vampire name Marcus who was an acquaintance of Carlisle's from his years studying medicine in Italy in the 1800's – for our specific purposes.

My throat constricted in anticipation as we passed the sign welcoming us to Maiano. The forest and woods closed in on us as we made the steady climb towards the game park.

"When we stop you go off and run Bella, you're safe here. Leave me to check in with our host, Edward you feel free to go with Bella and we'll meet back at the main house when you're both ready." Carlisle told us both as he pulled the car up outside a stately farmhouse.

I gave Edward once last glance before I yanked the car door open and tore off into the trees.

I had no idea what I was hunting for but if there was a heartbeat out here that was attached to an animal I'd find it. I lurched through the trees as fast as I could, nose to the air desperate for the hint of something, anything that would slake this thirst!

There! A thumping heartbeat flanked by two shallower ones. Oh thank god. I fled into the dense underbrush and pounced on some type of deer. It had rough fur and stood much taller than the ones I was used to in Forks but I didn't give a shit. All I wanted was its warm liquid inside my body, now.

I pulled it into my lap and let my venom flow freely before I clamped my lips over its jugular and sunk my teeth into it.

I've never felt more relieved than I did as its sticky life essence rushed down my gullet. I closed my eyes and drank deeply. I think I moaned at one point as the last of it dribbled across my tongue. When it was spent I leapt to my feet to find the next. Coming up a shallow ridge I found more of them gathered around a small steam, their heads bowed as they drank. I took a small female down and had her right there at the waters edge. I was drinking from her before the others had fully scattered I was that desperate to quell my thirst.

I had another small female before I felt ready to admit I was done. As soon as the warm fluid began to ebb I was searching for Edward. I ranged my hearing and my sense of smell out around me and found him to my right, maybe two hundred yards away. He was feeding too, I could smell the open wound of whatever animal he'd caught for himself. I felt bad that I'd run off without a second thought for him so I walked back carefully to where he was and waited while he finished his meal. God he was beautiful. Even with his arm stretched around his prey, his gruff growling and his self-loathing in full flight he was magnificent.

'_I see you there beautiful girl.' _He told me silently as he straightened from his crouch and checked over his clothing. Of course he had sustained neither a scratch nor a wrinkle.

"And I see you there beautiful man." I told him as he came to my side and took my hand in his. He turned my palm to his face and kissed it before returning our entwined hands to his side and rolling my engagement ring between his fingers.

We began to walk back towards the direction of the farmhouse but neither of us was in a hurry now. "Do you feel better love?" He asked.

"Oh yes. That last part was so hard." I admitted.

"I'm so proud of you love. You did so very well." He squeezed my hand a little tighter and finished his thought silently. _'You're fucking amazing!'_

I was still giggling about that when we broke through the trees and began to hear the laughter from the farmhouse. I recognized Carlisle's voice but not the accompanying one. Edward led me into the main room and we found Carlisle and a very tall, very dark haired vampire standing either side of a wide wooden bar. "Ahh Edward, Bella, come and meet my friend Marcus. Marcus this is my son Edward and his fiancé Bella." He waved to us and we crossed the room to where they stood. I watched as Marcus came out from behind the bar and shook Edward's hand and then he reached for mine. I assumed he would shake it but he bought it to his lips and murmured his pleasure at meeting my acquaintance.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too Marcus. Thank you for having me." I told him genuinely. I wondered if he knew how grateful I was to have his game park to ease my thirst just now?

"You are most welcome my beauty. I was pleased to be of assistance to my friends from across the sea." His deeply accented voice floated across the bar to me as he retook his position there. "And she is newborn?" He asked of Edward.

"Yes, six weeks." He answered proudly.

"Remarkable. How have you found your journey young one?" He asked me and I answered without hesitation that I'd found it both thrilling and quite an ordeal at the end there. "Indeed, indeed. I hope you will make good use of the hunting grounds here, I keep Chamois goat the Roe deer of course and some wild boar. Please feel free to come and go as you please whilst you are in Florence."

"Thank you Marcus. If you are ready I think we should be heading back to the city to check into our hotel. We'll be back in the morning, will we see you?" Carlisle asked of our host.

"Oh yes, I don't venture too far from the estate these days." He told us and we said our goodbyes next to the car. With a last wave we were once again headed back to the heart of Florence.

Now that I was glutted I could take in the surroundings as we passed the airport once again. It was an odd feeling, knowing I was in a totally different country than my own. The atmosphere felt alien although the views were almost entirely normal to me. Suburbs that held homes, shops and businesses. People going about their business as they did at home. The air smelled different to me as scents floated in and around the cabin of the car. I could smell human blood mixed with human food. But this human food was spicier than what I was used to smelling in and around Forks. This was tinged with herbs and garlic and something I couldn't quite remember the name of. I watched out the window as the places and people moved by swiftly.

'_How are you feeling darling?'_ Edward asked as he dragged my hand into his lap.

I turned and smiled brightly at him to show him that I was just enjoying seeing something new. I was okay with the silence in the car as Carlisle guided us through the quickly moving traffic towards our destination. A destination I had no idea about. It occurred to me as we'd sat in the lounge in Zurich that I'd not paid any attention at all to the arrangements for this trip. I'd not asked a single question other than what day we'd be leaving and what day we'd be back. Alice and Rose had taken care of my luggage and what was in it and Edward and Carlisle had organized everything else. I felt slightly stupid and childish for not having lifted a finger or that I'd been not at all interested in any of the finer details like where we were going to stay and how I'd be able to hunt.

**EPOV**

She looked positively lost as she stared out of the window at the passing world. I longed to hear her thoughts, for the millionth time. Her hand was limp in my lap but her relaxed physicality belied the torment on her face.

"Bella, please?" I asked hesitantly.

She graced me with a small smile. "I'm fine Edward, really. I was just thinking how stupid it was of me to leave everything for you to organize."

"Stupid? How so love?" I asked, intrigued.

Carlisle gave a soft chuckle from the front seat. _'She's just realized she hadn't thought to ask how to hunt here Edward, be careful with your answers, you could very easily hurt her feelings.' _He told me, keeping his eyes trained on the swirling cars around us.

"I didn't think to ask about anything and that's just really stupid." She screwed up her facial features adorably as she struggled to find the right words. "I'm about to be someone's parent and I didn't even think to ask how I'd hunt here. I've just traveled halfway around the globe without a thought for how to sustain myself when I got here, hardly responsible behavior was it?" She asked ruefully.

I pulled her across the space between us on the backseat and cradled her against my chest. Stroking her soft, silky hair I murmured that I'd never let her go hungry. "But I know that's not the same thing as you being able to fend for yourself Bella. I'm sorry I didn't take more time to discuss it all with you before we left. This trip was a bit of a hastily thrown together shambles but I promise when next we travel you'll be in on the ground floor." I kissed her hair and I felt her relax a little.

With her face still pressed to my chest she began to mumble, "But don't you think it's stupid that I never thought to ask? I mean, what if the airport was in the middle of nowhere and it was hours until I could find something to eat? I could easily have snapped back there Edward, made a huge mistake in the terminal. I keep forgetting that I'm supposed to be able to take care of myself now. You do too much for me." She said sadly and I cringed.

For so long I'd wanted to be able to take care of her, arrange things so that her life would be simple, easy, without worry. All I'd ever wanted was to provide for her, for the baby too when the time came, but now I could see that that was the dream of a single man. Bella and I were equals now and I'd have to learn to include her more often, for her own sake as well as the babies and mine too. While I'd work very hard to never leave her in a situation where she'd have to fend for herself and for our child alone even I could see the sense in her knowing how it could be done for herself. My pride would take quite a hit to have to admit that to her, but I'd take the hit happily for her sake.

"Of course you're right Bella." I told her truthfully. Carlisle sniggered a little but said nothing. He was thinking how much I'd changed in the past few months and, I thought a little unkindly, he was thinking how whipped I was. _That_ I'd talk to him about at a later time. "When we get home we'll spend some time making some plans, just in case something ever happens, alright love?"

"Thank you Edward. Partner." She whispered, lifting her face to mine and kissing me lightly at the corner of my mouth. That one tiny gesture that one tiny touch of her lips to mine set my body alight. "Later." She giggled softly, reading my thoughts clearly.

'Indeed.' I told her silently. I released her and she went back to watching the scenery speed by as Carlisle expertly navigated us through the city.

When the river came into view I began to point out the culturally significant pieces of grand architecture, Bella was at once enthralled and excited. Every smile, every wide-eyed look she threw me as I explained or showed her something new made me harder. I'd wanted to show her the world and this was the first rung on that ladder and it made me impossibly impatient to begin our married life, a life that would allow me to take her anywhere she desired. Right now I desired a hotel room, a large claw foot bathtub and two or three quiet hours to discover if transcontinental sex was different from sex at home. This thought elicited a quiet moan and a sharp look from my fiancé. I smiled smugly knowing full well that we'd soon be at the hotel and I could have my way over and over again.

Carlisle pulled the car into an underground parking structure and a porter with a rolling trolley to take our luggage immediately met us. Bella held her breath then took the hand I offered her, letting me lead her to the elevator bank and ultimately into the brightly lit reception of the Hotel Balestri.

There were two humans lounging in armchairs in the foyer sitting area and another behind the wide reception desk but Bella handled her thirst expertly. She stood slightly behind me, hiding her eyes as best she could, as she'd not yet put in her first pair of colored contact lenses for the trip. Her eyes were almost bronze now, still much darker than mine, but no longer crimson. She had a feint red line that ran the outside of her iris but it was fading very quickly. Any human who took too much notice would see that something was slightly off but I doubted anyone would stare long enough to wonder too much. Bella had been a beautiful human but she was formidable and exquisite as a vampire and one that frightened the hell out of many a human man, much to my amusement. This thought earned me my first rib nudge since arriving in Italy. 'He's terrified of us.' I told Bella as the desk attendant greeted Carlisle as warmly as he could without flinching.

"We have a reservation under the name Cullen." Carlisle told him smoothly.

"Yes, we've been expecting you Dr Cullen. Your suites are ready, please go on ahead I'll have the porter bring your luggage."

Carlisle collected the pair of key passes and the brochure from the attendant and handed one of the keys to me. "Thank you. I need to have a message delivered to the gentleman staying in room 403. Would you be so good as to alert him to our arrival and ask him to join us on the terrace in one hour?" Carlisle asked of the attendant and was told that would be no problem.

"Would you like a table for dinner sir, the restaurant bar will be open shortly?" When Carlisle shook his head the attendant continued, "Will you require the turn down service this evening?"

"No thank you. We do not wish to be disturbed in the evenings, thank you." With that Carlisle turned to us and motioned towards the elevator bank we'd come up from the parking garage in.

I led Bella into the carriage and Carlisle pressed the button for the fifth, and by the looks of it, the topmost floor.

We stepped out into a well lit though darkly decorated hallway. Only four doors adorned the plain walls, I looked down at the key pass in my hand and bought Bella to stand in front of our room. "One hour?" I asked Carlisle, he nodded and kept on his way down the hall to the room at the far end.

I opened the door to our suite and ushered Bella inside. Her gasp was all the reward I needed for having insisted we stay here, in this particular room.

**BPOV**

The small unassuming hotel was a total lie! Its crumbling dirty white brick façade was a ruse. The sparse reception with its chintz armchairs and fussy fern filled planter tubs was in no way a correct depiction of what its rooms hid from the public eye.

I walked through the tiny foyer space and gasped at the view that greeted me. Although it was beginning to darken outside the light poured into the room through a wall of floor length windows, through which I could see the river and the city stretching out beyond it. It was all one giant room with a huge dining table at one end and a sitting room in the centre. Behind a wide marble countertop stood a kitchen any chef would be proud to use. A small balcony complete with overflowing planter boxes opened out from the glass doors beyond the dining space. A huge fireplace took centre stage along the longest wall and a shiny black grand piano stood on a raised platform opposite it. I turned to find Edward's face and what I saw made my belly jump with desire.

His eyes were shining and he was smiling from ear to ear as though all his Christmases had come at once. His eyes traveled from me to the piano and back many times before he came to stand beside me. He dipped his head and soon I felt his lips at my ear, "Do you like it Isabella?" He drawled and I melted.

"Oh yes, it's beautiful." I told him truthfully.

He drew my earlobe into his mouth and sucked softly making me draw in a hasty breath over my teeth. I fought the urge to rub my thighs together. "This is how it's going to be tonight Isabella. You have one hour to settle in, get changed, look around, shower, whatever you like. We'll meet with Carlisle and Aro and we will be polite and talk with him as necessary. Then we will leave Carlisle and his old friend to reminisce. Once we are back here I will have you on that piano Isabella. I've waited an age for this. Will you do this for me?" He growled against my throat and all I could do was whimper in answer. He knew, of course, that I'd do whatever he wanted me to do. He fisted my hair and tugged my head backward until my throat was exposed to him entirely. He dragged his teeth along my jugular and I shuddered in pleasure. '_So fucking beautiful. Mine.' _His mental voice was a hoarse whisper laced with desire that made my knees buckle slightly with want.

He used his palm to steady me on my feet and with a quick last kiss on my lips he was gone from me. He had his cell phone in his hand and was dialing before I had regained my composure.

I walked to the far end of the room and opened what I assumed was the bedroom door.

An enormous bed dominated the square space and stood out from the centre of the back wall like an island in a crimson ocean of thick pile carpet. It was adorned with deep red and brown quilted blankets and piled high with different shaped cushions and pillows. It looked so inviting after such a long journey. Instead I stripped my traveling clothes off my body and pooled them in a heap on the floor and went through the only other so far unexplored door into the marble bathroom. The claw foot tub was a surprise. The luxuriousness of the room was not. Opting for the convenience of a shower rather than a bath alone I waited while the water came to temperature and then slid under the hot stream. It felt so good. I could hear Edward's conversation with home and smiled when I heard him bragging to Jasper about how well I'd controlled my thirst over the long journey. He waited while his brother went to find Alice and soon he was thanking her for all the arrangements she'd made on his behalf. He assured her the room was perfect, just as he'd imagined and then he told her to pass our thanks to the rest of the family for all their help.

He was soon thanking and tipping the porter who bought our bags upstairs. By the time I came out of the shower my bag was unzipped and halfway unpacked. I'd never laid eyes on most of the contents of it, Alice having done all my shopping as usual, so it was a little like pot luck as I searched for something appropriate for our evenings engagement.

From the humans I'd seen on the streets it seemed as though the weather was quite cool here at this time of year so I selected a coffee colored cashmere sweater and chocolate brown slacks. Alice had packed a matching coffee colored bra and panties set that made Edward raise his eyebrows appreciatively as I put them on.

'_I shall enjoy removing those later.'_ He told me silently as he passed me on his way to his own shower.

I pulled a pair of brown leather flat court shoes from my bag and set them at the foot of the bed for later. Then I set about drying my hair with the little hairdryer from the bathroom. By the time Edward was out of the shower and dressed I had inspected the kitchen, taken my first look at the Arno River from the balcony and I'd texted my mother to let her know we'd arrived safely.

He joined me on the sofa in the little sitting room just as my mothers reply beeped on my phone.

~Have a great time you two. We know you'll come home with good news. Be safe. Our love to you both, Mom and Dad xx~

I showed Edward who confirmed that we would, indeed, be going home with some good news to share. Then we were off to meet the infamous Aro.


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47 the Italian Job

**EPOV**

I was torn in two. One half of me, the desperately in love and horny me, wanted to keep her in the hotel room all to myself and shut out the outside world, come what may. The other half, the logical, rational and terribly worried soon to be father in me wanted to meet the infamous Aro and get this show on the proverbial road.

Bella was trembling slightly as we made our way out of the elevator carriage and out into the Italian nightscape. It was a beautiful setting and I'm sure under any other circumstances both of us would've enjoyed exploring it and its possibilities. But right now, on this night, we were just eager for our first taste of information.

But it was a deadly double-edged sword, for us both.

"Shh Edward." Bella whispered to me, stroking the inside of my forearm as she clung to me.

'Sorry love.' I told her as we made our way through the pretty yellow covered tables to where Carlisle sat with a striking dark haired vampire. Bella slowed as we approached their table and I wondered why she was now apprehensive of this meeting. She had nothing to fear from Carlisle's friend. That's when it hit me.

'You've nothing to fear from him Bella. Carlisle would never, I would never, put you in any danger with a meeting like this. Trust me love.' I told her silently as we came to stand before the tiny table. She once again squeezed my forearm to let me know she had heard and understood, though she did not release my arm when we came to stand for introductions.

To Bella's surprise these were made in Italian.

"Edward?" she asked, her mouth making an adorable little o in her surprise.

"Il Isabella sa che nessun Italiano può noi parlare Inglese?" (Isabella knows no Italian can we speak English?) I asked Aro as Bella's eyebrows twitched with mirth.

Aro nodded his agreement and repeated his greeting in halting flawless English. Bella extended her hand for him to shake but he took her by the shoulders and kissed her firmly at both cheeks, as was the European custom. She smiled sweetly and mumbled her pleasure at meeting a friend of Carlisle's.

"You did not tell Isabella that you speak Italian Edward?" Carlisle laughed.

"There never seemed a point, everyone here speaks perfect English do they not?" I chuckled and Aro tipped his head in agreement.

"Indeed they do," Aro chuckled. "Tell me Isabella, how do you feel? You must be eager to meet Nathaniel yes?"

"I am very well, thank you. And yes, I can't wait to meet him. Will we see him tomorrow?" She asked with wide eyes.

"Oh yes, the meeting is well planned. He too is eager to meet you." He answered and Bella relaxed a little.

A waiter came by to ask if we wanted coffee or liquor and Carlisle ordered a round of espresso for us all. Bella held her breath while he stood at her side, his pen scratching at his notepad, and I felt her expel the air as he moved away to place our order. I caught Bella's eye and tilted my head while I told her 'I'm so fucking proud of you beautiful girl.' Smiling down at her and pulling her hand into my lap where I could finger the rings at her fingers she answered me by leaning her head momentarily on my shoulder and smiling widely.

"You did not exaggerate my friend." Aro said intriguingly to Carlisle, who smiled smugly. _'Your mate can hear you Edward?' _Aro asked me, picking up the knack of silent communication almost instantly.

I looked to Carlisle who was still smiling smugly. From his mind I saw that he had explained both mine and Bella's gifts and how they worked to Aro, who seemed fascinated. "Yes, she can, though our connection is for now only one way. She can hear me, I cannot hear her." I told him, preferring to leave out the details of our more intimate communications.

"Fascinating. But you, Edward, you can hear all else, yes?" He asked.

"Yes."

"But not your mate? Carlisle, do you have a theory on this?" He asked as if Carlisle had a theory on all else. Which was probably true.

"I have no theory this time my friend. It is what it is. We've not had time to study it any further." Carlisle said quietly as the waiter arrived with a little tray of steaming cups.

**BPOV**

I missed coffee. Of all the foods and drinks I had loved as a human coffee would be the one thing I'd miss most. It had always been so soothing. The act of holding the hot mug between cold hands had always been welcome no matter the reason for the caffeine hit. I dipped my head toward it now as it stood in the tiny china cup on the table and crinkled my nose. It smelled like dust. A musty, dirty smell that burnt my nose. The three men at the table with me all laughed quietly as I eyed the evil brew.

"Carlisle tells me you are new to this life, only a few weeks my dear?" Aro asked and I nodded. This seemed as though it was going to be a pretty standard question made of me. First Laurent then Marcus and now Aro. They were the only other vampires I'd ever met and all three had asked the same question, made it their first question of me in two cases. There was no coincidence in that.

"We are very proud of her, conquering her urges so quickly." Carlisle patted my hand as it rested on the table near my coffee. "Although I'm sure you still have your original opinions on our dietary habits Aro." Carlisle sniggered teasingly.

"Aah yes, nothing has changed there my friend. Your maker and I have never quite seen eye to eye when it comes to the suppression of our nature." Aro said with amusement, looking first at Edward and then at me. The use of the word maker made me baulk, my involuntary jerk alerting Edward to my response.

"How long have you known Carlisle Aro?" I asked tentatively, a little unsure if questions like these were permitted or encouraged among our kind.

He thought for a second or two and then told me he'd met Carlisle at the medical school in 1821 right here in Firenze. I looked to Edward when he'd said the name. _'Firenze is the local, cultural name for Florence Bella.' _He told me silently.

Aro went on to tell some tales about both his and Carlisle's exploits in those early years. It was obvious from the stories that Aro was not a medical man as Carlisle was. In fact he had no intention of hiding the fact that he'd been hanging around the medical school in order to lure the pretty nurses away to feed from them. Aro had been a ladies man in his human life and it seemed that this part of his psyche had made the transition with him!

**EPOV**

'_Excuse yourselves Edward, just stop looking at your watch please!'_ Carlisle laughed in his brain, causing me to jolt upright and startle Bella.

I squeezed her hand and told her I was about to make our excuses and that we would be leaving. I stood, bringing her upright with me and told both Carlisle and Aro that we'd retire to our room now and that we'd meet them in the reception foyer at nine tomorrow morning as we'd arranged.

Neither man begrudged me taking my leave, in fact Aro silently acknowledged how lucky I was to have such a beautiful mate with which to hide away in the evenings.

Carlisle kissed Bella lightly at her temple and wished us both a good evening, smiling knowingly at me as I ushered Bella back towards the elevator bank.

Once inside I drew her to me and kissed her softly. She moaned as our lips met midway between our embrace. I was hungry for her, this having been the longest I'd ever gone without intimacy since she'd been turned. I vowed it would be the last time I'd suffer this way.

"Suffer Edward? Really? Are you suffering?" She giggled against my ear as the elevator doors opened into our hall.

I could do nothing other than chuckle. I'd been read and could not deny what she'd heard. It did feel like suffering. Yanking open the door to the suite and pulling her to me the instant we were inside I kicked out behind me and slammed the door shut, perhaps a little too roughly, causing her to startle in my arms.

'Sorry my love, I'm impatient, horrible aren't I?' I asked of her as I wound my arms around her tighter and began to walk us back into the sitting room, pulling her down into my lap as my knees hit the sofa.

I groaned into her open mouth as she twisted her fingers into my hair and answered my silent confession by pulling my mouth onto hers harder.

With her in my lap I had access to only her throat and the very tops of her glorious shoulders so I made good use of what I could reach my lips to. I nipped my way up her neck and to the hollow below her ear and whispered how beautiful she was here, draped in her soft, soft sweater but that I needed to take it from her now. I told her that I needed to see her, taste her, touch her, and possess her here, in Italy, where all great romances flourished. I told her I wanted to make love to her against the backdrop of the Italian sky, that I wanted her alabaster skin to glow in the moonlight like the classical marble statues we'd see here.

When finally her clothing was in a muddled pool at the foot of the sofa and I had her naked in my arms I could do nothing but groan my pleasure into her waiting mouth at her naked beauty. I held her to me roughly, crushing her against my chest, pulling her hair to keep her mouth clamped to mine, never wanting to break the connection we had. I cupped her ass with my palm and walked with her to the other side of the room, depositing her on the piano bench while I divested myself of my own clothing. A deep, rumbling growl ripped its way through my chest and throat as I watched her lick her lips as I lost my pants and boxers. Ninety years of longing and months of desire for this specific creature broke free from my aching soul as I looked down at her here, on _this_ piano bench, in _this_ room in _this_ faraway land. And she was mine, all mine.

**BPOV**

His desperation increased my desire a hundred fold. As he stood staring down at me I could feel my wetness leaking out of my overheated core and coating my thighs. If he thought himself horrible for his impatience I had no name for the swell of my own need. Only an expletive would suffice.

Once he too was naked he stalked to the side of the piano and unlatched the pin that held the lid aloft. I watched as he lowered the highly polished surface to its closed position and with a smirk he came to me and lifted me once again into his arms, placing me squarely on the lid. It was slippery and cool against the back of my thighs and butt. I leaned back resting my weight on my wrists and watched as Edward closed his eyes and drew in a hissed breath. He was picturing this scene in his minds eye, running the details of his fantasy through his mind to make sure he'd not forgotten anything, that the details were covered as they had been in his dream. I could see the foggy edges of this fantasy and saw myself splayed out before him on this piano, in this exact room. He'd been here before. He'd dreamt this exactly. I watched as his dream state Edward ran his hand down my body from my lips to my core in one fluid movement while I slid downward, lowering myself as his touch crept lower, until I was lying on the lid. Edward wanted this as he'd never wanted anything before. No, he needed this. That was why he'd asked me to do this earlier this evening instead of asking if I wanted this with him, he was telling me he needed this from me. This was something Edward had spent more than one lifetime needing. I could give him this.

"Do it Edward." I told him in a hoarse whisper as his eyes slowly opened. His brows creased slightly but they smoothed out again as a slight smile graced his perfect lips. His tongue snaked out and moistened his lower lip and my breath hitched in my throat. It was a hungry look in his eyes, as though he was about to devour me. It was as though he didn't know where to begin, what about his dream, this fantasy, that he should sate first. "Edward, do as you did in your dream baby. I'm yours. Only yours." I told him breathlessly. His eyes widened in shock as he came to realize I'd experienced his dream as he had.

He flicked his eyes around the room taking in the details one last time to ensure all was as it should be to complete this for himself. When he was satisfied that it was, he stood a small step forward and came to stand against my knees. He used his hip to part them and stepped closer as my knees circled his naked waist. He took in a deep breath and held it as he reached out a single finger, resting it on my bottom lip. I let the tip of my tongue flick across it and gained a sharp hiss from him in reply. He closed his eyes briefly and I watched again as he replayed his fantasy, showing me what I should do every step of the way.

He ran his now moist fingertip down my chin, across my jawbone and down to the hollow at the base of my throat. I slid minutely backward on my wrists lowering myself an inch, no more. His eyes closed again and he nodded a little. Yes, this was as it should be for him. I could feel him trembling between my knees, his legs were shaking slightly. I'd never seen him like this, this total lack of control for the act itself. He wanted this so badly he'd forgotten to show me his strength, the façade he used when we made love, to be my mate, the man, and the dominant partner in all things sexual. This was the real Edward. Needy. Helpless to fight what his body and mind craved from me.

He opened his eyes once again and his finger resumed its journey down my body, between my breasts and to my navel. As he circled it softly I inched myself further backward onto the lid of the piano. I let my head fall backwards as I'd seen it do in his dream and I heard him groan loudly as my hair fanned out behind me just as he hoped it would. He took a second to steady himself and I felt him lock his hips more tightly to stop himself swaying involuntarily towards my centre, he was concentrating on staying still, prolonging this moment for his memory. When he was satisfied that he was as still as he could be he let his finger begin again. My venom had dried on it now so it was once again a smooth, soft pad as it traveled past my panty line, through my curls and settled momentarily on my clit.

As he slid it up between my folds I lowered myself the remaining two inches so that I was fully laid out on the piano lid. I let my arms stretch out on either side of my body so that I was lying in the shape of a cross, my arms reaching towards the edges of the lid, palms down as I had been in his dream.

I knew what he'd say, how it would sound and I also knew what it felt like for him to say it, so I waited. I held my breath, waiting, needing to hear it too.

In a deep, resonant growl that came from between his gritted teeth he told me exactly what we both needed to hear, "MINE!"

**EPOV**

I felt myself falling but could not control it. My mind was clouded with what was fantasy and what was real. I was about to have what I'd fantasized about for almost my entire existence and all at once I had no idea what to do!

Everything was perfect. The room was as I remembered it – of course the furnishings were different, new, but it was the same layout, it felt the same - and I was sure this was the exact same piano that had stood here 60 years ago.

It was night, midnight as I'd hoped it would be. The sky was an inky black outside. The drapes were still open and I could see the faint glow from the city lights as they came into the room and illuminated Bella's perfect creamy skin.

Bella…so beautiful…giving me what she now knew I wanted. Bella.

I stroked her slickness languidly, loving that she was so obviously aroused for me. Her eyes were closed and she was perfectly placed on the piano, just as I'd always imagined. I lowered my lips to her belly, kissing the slight roundness that protruded from between her hipbones. I let my tongue trace the curve of the outside edge of her belly button and felt her shiver. As I dipped my tongue into it I slipped my finger inside her, twisting it to reach the rough circle deep inside that would bring her to her knees. But it wasn't enough for her. She bucked against my hand needing more, I quickly obliged by slipping a second finger inside and began stroking her more forcefully, desperate to feel and hear the pleasure this would bring her.

With a tiny whimper she came undone on my hand and I groaned out loud at the power coursing through my body at the thought that I could do this to her so swiftly. I nuzzled her belly with my nose as she rode out her first climax, loving the soft mewling noise she was making as the waves subsided slowly.

I slid my fingers from her when I was sure her pleasure had waned and licked them clean as quickly as I could. I wanted so badly to prolong this amazing gift she was giving me but I was desperate to have her. I ran my hand from her throat to her centre once again and then used my palms to pull her closer to the edge of the piano lid, hovering against her, in two minds as to how I should proceed.

I'd craved this for so long it felt indecent to be getting it. I'd pictured this for an age and now that I was about to have it I felt the first sting of mourning as the dull ache that was the fantasy was about to be lost to me for eternity. Despite my need for this I would miss this need, this desperation to have this one thing come true for me.

"You'll make another fantasy Edward." Bella whispered and I knew it to be true. I plunged into her then, with no thought to being gentle or careful, delicate or tender. She'd given me her permission to have this long before this moment and now I took what I needed from her.

She cried out as I filled her, I hoped not in pain. I wanted to stop, to ask, but was consumed with my desire to complete this fantasy once and for all. I hitched her knees with my forearms and pulled her to me tighter, harder, dragging her body to me then pushing it away to gain a better purchase on each stroke.

'_Not in pain.'_ She told me silently and I relaxed a little, concentrated on what was building within me, hoping I'd be able to last long enough to take her with me. It wouldn't be a surprise if I couldn't, I couldn't control this. I handed all my power to her the minute she gave this to me. An outsider would look at this scene and believe it was me possessing her, taking from her, but they'd be wrong.

She owned my heart, my body, my soul, and me. I was hers. This was her power and she was using it by allowing me this.

'Thank you…Bella…thank you…I love you…thank you…' I told her as my pleasure built.

'_I love you Edward…thank you…so good, for you, always for you…so good…'_ she crooned as I went faster, harder, deeper into her. I dug my fingers into her hips as I rocked myself into her in frenzy.

I was being swept away too quickly, I knew it was too fast, she'd never be able to cum if I finished now and while I was sorry for that I couldn't control the powerful sensations crashing around inside of me as I bucked and pushed into her. I felt it crest in my balls and then I was truly falling. I fell against her stomach as I exploded into her in a panicked rush. I knew I was crying out, knew I was loud, knew I made no sense as I pulsed myself into her in thick, hot waves.

As my intense pleasure waned I felt her muscles still clenching, spasming around me as she milked the last of my climax from me. 'Oh baby…did you…oh god…so good, so beautiful, so perfect…' I asked her, told her, as I gasped for breath against her tummy.

'_Oh yes Edward…too good…I couldn't help it…so good.' _She was gasping for her own breath even in her mind as she came down from her own orgasm. I was so grateful she'd been able to take from me what she needed, even though I was useless in helping her achieve it this one time. '_Not useless baby, never useless. I loved that you were so out of control.' _She told me, stroking my hair softly.

We laid there for a few minutes wrapped in each others warmth. I didn't want to break our connection so did my best to remain inside her as we gathered our thoughts and breath. She stayed lying on the lid and I returned to standing between her legs. I ran my hands up and down her thighs, her stomach, and her hips as she lie before me.

I looked beyond her to the windows and smiled to myself. This was exactly how it was supposed to be.

When her breathing returned to normal, despite it not being required we both always gasped for oxygen during these intimate times, I wound my arms behind her back and lifted her to me, holding her against my chest. Unfortunately this broke our intimate connection and so we had to return to the normalcy of the spoken word.

"Niente ha potuto essere più bello a me che il mio fiancé incinto contro il contesto della mezzanotte in Italia." I crooned into her neck as I walked us to the bedroom.

**BPOV**

I looked at him shocked. I'd forgotten he could speak Italian in the short time since I'd learned that he could. "What was that?" I asked, giggling softly against his throat.

He lay me down in the centre of the bed and he slid in behind me, holding my back to his chest. He pulled the covers up around us and began kissing my shoulder softly.

"I was just saying that nothing could be more beautiful to me than my pregnant fiancé against the backdrop of midnight in Italy."

I shivered involuntarily at his beautiful sentiment. "Thank you baby." I told him truthfully because I was thankful. Thankful to have found him, thankful he loved me, thankful I'd been able to fulfill his fantasy just now.

"Sleep my Bella. Sleep and know you've given me a great gift. I love you Isabella." He crooned against my ear as I felt myself slipping to sleep for the first time in 38 hours.

The room was already bright with sunlight when I woke at 7am the next morning. It was Tuesday, I knew that much, but it took a few moments longer for me to realize where I was. Italy.

The shower was running in the bathroom beside the bedroom so I knew Edward was still here with me. I was safe here. I don't know why that was important to me right now, but it was. As I took in the scene around me my only thought was whether or not Edward was with me and whether we were safe. I rubbed my belly absent-mindedly and threw my legs over the edge of the bed.

We were in Italy to get answers. We were in a hotel and we were safe.

I slid into the shower with Edward and he kissed me good morning languidly. "A big day today." He said, it was neither a question nor did it require an answer. I simply nodded. "Are you worried, anxious?" He asked as he lathered the soap between his palms and began to wash my sides.

"A little." I told him as his hands swept across my belly, paying particular attention to my little bump. I smiled when he lowered his lips to it and said good morning to our baby in his mind. "Are you?" I asked.

"Yeah, a bit. On one hand I don't want to know, I'd much rather stay ignorant and just take what comes, but on the other hand…" He trailed off and finished the thought mentally, unable to put voice to his thoughts. '_…I need to know what's coming. I need to plan. Strategize with Carlisle, with you. I'll understand if you don't want to do that with us.'_ His eyes were filled with pain as he said the last sentence.

I knew he was asking if I was able to make a plan for after the baby was born even if that meant I wasn't there to help execute that plan. I had no answer so I gave him none.

We finished our shower in silence. We dressed and Edward waited patiently while I inserted a pair of dark brown contact lenses, then we were ready to face whatever fate had planned for us.

**EPOV**

Aro and Carlisle were waiting for us in the foyer as planned. Bella was hesitant and anxious and I was bloody terrified. There was no way to hide this from her so I didn't try. I didn't want her to have to console me, comfort me. I wanted her to concentrate on what she needed, what she wanted to ask the boy, what it was going to mean for her. So I allowed myself a last moment of weakness and let my dread flood my system one last time as we walked toward the two vampires lounging in the awful armchairs.

Somber greetings were had and then we were ushered down in the elevator to the rented Mercedes. Aro instructed where he wanted Carlisle to turn and within minutes we were pulling into another underground parking station.

Coming out into the daylight was negated as we rode another elevator to a café on the top floor of the Museo Galileo. Galileo's museum.

It was filled with tourists even at this early point in the day and Bella registered their presence with a hasty hand to her throat. She quickly readjusted her posture and was soon putting her hand back in mine as we were seated at a table against the glass windows facing the crowded street. 'Squeeze my hand when you need to leave and I'll take you to the hunting grounds Bella.' I told her and she nodded. I'd arranged this with Carlisle before we'd even set off on this trip so he was well aware that if we simply up and left that was where we would head. My own thirst had never been more manageable since I'd been hunting with Bella quite often. I knew as her thirst decreased we'd both settle into infrequent hunting but for now I was more than well sated.

We'd just settled into our chosen seats when Aro stiffened and stood again. I could see from his thoughts that Nathaniel had arrived and he walked towards him with his hand outstretched. Their greeting though friendly was tinged with hesitancy on the younger vampires part. He was nervous, as were we.

Bella watched him intently as he moved across the room to our table. He was dressed as we were, jeans and a jersey and looked for all intents and purposes like any other Italian teenager. Young, confident, flawless and fluid. And yet somehow almost completely human. His scent wasn't strong, neither truly vampire nor human either. It was a curious mix of the two.

I watched as Bella took him in. He was stood before her now, his hands pressed into his pockets, unsure what he wanted to do with them. Should he reach for her hand? Should he kiss her cheeks? Should he run? This last thought of his was a curious one and I tried my hardest to understand it as he stood there coming to his decision.

"È un piacere grande venirli a contatto" He whispered as he kissed the back of her hand. She smiled but looked to me to translate. I told her that he was saying what a great pleasure it was to meet her.

"Hello, it is nice to meet you too." Aro translated this into Italian and the young one turned to me and shook my hand, introducing himself as Nathaniel Vincenzi. He then turned to Carlisle and did the same.

I followed the same routine as last night, when meeting Aro and asked if Nathaniel knew some English? He said he did and agreed to speak this way if he knew the correct words. It was agreed that I would translate for Bella, silently, if needed. And so our first meeting with a hybrid began.

**BPOV**

Oh thank god. He was strong, like us. His skin was pale but not as pale as ours. He looked healthy, very robust, strong and in control of himself. Thank god.

Whatever else went wrong I knew that our baby would be strong enough to take care of itself at some point in its life. This was a crushing relief and I felt myself sink back into my seat as the realization hit me full force.

'_Bella?'_ Edward asked me in alarm as he catalogued my first reaction to Nathaniel.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. It's just…" I trailed off, not wanting to embarrass the boy by saying what I felt.

"Bella, this is your chance to ask what you need to ask my dear." Carlisle told me. He looked to Nathaniel and the boy nodded his agreement. Carlisle patted my hand in support and I took a deep breath to steady myself.

"You are as strong as a vampire, yes?" I asked tentatively with a look around the room to ensure I wasn't going to be overheard. Nobody was paying any attention to us so I returned my gaze to the boy and waited patiently for the answer I already knew.

With a small smile he took my hand in his and squeezed gently. It was such a tender touch, his skin was warm like ours but his strength was only barely hidden beyond its surface. "Yes, sweet girl, I am strong like you. Though I look and smell more human to you, yes?" He asked.

"Yes." I whispered. He still held my hand but now he took hold of my wrist and tugged it so that it was sitting in the stream of sunlight that crossed the corner of our table. He laid my arm along the arc of the light and we all watched as it began to sparkle. He put his own arm beside mine and I held my breath, waiting for the diamonds to light up. I gasped when they didn't. Well, that's not strictly true, he did shine as we did but nowhere near as much. His skin was more like the inside of a pearl clam. A feint shimmer, nothing that would keep him inside on sunny days. "Oh." I murmured. I heard Edward sigh beside me and I returned my arm to my lap and my mind back to his.

'_Thank god.'_ He mumbled and I smiled. I totally agreed. "Are you well Nathaniel?" Edward asked evenly.

"I am. Very." His teeth shined brightly in the little café and I relaxed a little more. He was well. He looked perfectly healthy to me.

"Can you tell us about yourself?" Carlisle asked.

"You wish to know the circumstances of my birth?" He asked me directly, ignoring the others at the table. Somehow he knew this is what I wanted, what I needed to hear.

"Oh yes, will you share it with me, please?" I didn't want it to sound like I was begging but I knew I was. For that is what I was doing, I was begging him to tell me I'd live to see my baby born and that it would be safe. Of course he couldn't do that.

"My mother I never knew. My fathers me she did not want to become like us so she chose to give me this life in exchange for hers. The details have never been given to me but my father lives on. I saw him most my first year but less so since. He is full vampire so he stays out of the city mostly, he lives in a village in the mountains now." He said it without sadness and I knew this was his simple reality. He had been born to a human mother who had sacrificed her own life to give him his. His father had stayed long enough to see him born and then returned to his life as a vampire.

I wanted to say I was sorry, sorry that his life had begun that way and had remained so since but couldn't form the words. Instead I asked my next question. "Is your father able to see you, be near you, safely?" the answer to this one question would determine how the rest of my own life was to be lived. If I could not be near my own child…I could not complete that thought.

"Yes of course. It is his choice not to see me. I have a feint human scent as you can tell for yourself, but he's able to resist me because of our familial bond." He told me.

'_Thank fuck.' _I coughed slightly as Edward thought it and he smiled at me in apology. I squeezed his hand in support, I knew exactly how he was feeling!

I looked to Carlisle and silently pled with him to ask what I could not. What Edward could not voice. He nodded and looked to Nathaniel. "How long was your growth, how long until you were fully grown?" He asked carefully.

Aro leaned in as Carlisle finished the question. It was obvious he too was eager to hear this information for himself. Edward was trembling now, visibly shaking and I tried my best to comfort him and I began to stroke his palm with my thumb.

"I was raised in my fathers village by two females of our kind. In human terms I was fully grown at seven years."

I looked to Edward and tried to echo the relief in his eyes with my own. Seven years. It was better than nothing. We'd have seven years to watch him or her grow, to teach him or her, to enjoy being parents. It was enough.

Edward's trembling subsided and I looked first at Aro who was smiling widely at our reaction and then to Carlisle, who looked serene, completely relieved by the newest revelation. He closed his eyes briefly and then mouthed 'thank god'. I smiled and winked at him, causing him to laugh softly.

I had only one more question and was preparing to ask it when Edward got in first. "Do you sustain yourself on blood Nathaniel?"

I could tell from Edward's thoughts that he was actually asking if Nathaniel hunted humans but he just couldn't ask the question that way. He was happy to learn whatever the boy wanted him to learn and to leave it at that. He was already strategizing about how to teach our child to control its bloodlust and live off animals as we did.

"I do not, no. I can, though my thirst for it is minimal. In the absence of human food I can hunt but I choose not to. I like living among humans and they don't fear me as they do full vampires, so I do my best to live as they do." He positively beamed in pride as he told us this.

I quickly jumped in and asked the question that had been burning a hole in my chest since the instant I'd found out I was pregnant.

"And how long have you been…?" I didn't know how to ask the question. Was he vampire? Would it upset him to call him a hybrid as Carlisle had? This was so awkward.

"I was born in 1936." He answered without issue.

I couldn't help the sob that came out of my throat. Edward stifled it by pulling me to his chest, holding me there tightly as our overwhelming relief flooded through us both.

**EPOV**

"Oh Jesus, thank Christ." I blurted out somewhat inarticulately. I heard Carlisle sigh in relief. Bella was sobbing into my chest without reservation. This is what we'd all secretly needed to know. Whether he was immortal. Would we have to suffer the death of our own child as it withered and died while we went on? We did not.


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48 Relief

**BPOV**

I clutched at Edward's shirt and sobbed and sobbed. It was such a relief to finally know. To be sure that our child would grow, become independent, that we'd not doomed a child to the torment of living a half-life and then having to watch it die.

Edward told me silently that the humans were beginning to take notice of the four of us and I did my best to curb my sobs then. He handed me a napkin from the table and I dabbed at my dry eyes, completing the human ritual that would be expected of me had I been able to produce tears. '_Good girl.' _He told me, that made me smile.

I straightened in my chair once again and turned my attention to Carlisle. He smiled at me warmly and leaned over and took me into his arms. "You'll be fine my beauty." He whispered, kissing my hair as he let me go.

Aro was beaming across the table at me now and I smiled tentatively at him, wondering what had made him so happy.

Nathaniel was looking a little embarrassed at our public display but not altogether surprised I noticed. "I'm sorry Nathaniel, please forgive me. It's just that I've, we've been so worried. We had no information and now here you are, alive and well and …well…old." I giggled because I couldn't think of any other way to describe him. It just seemed such a silly thing to call him, he was 74 years old but looked like he was twenty-one!

"I am old Isabella." He chuckled. "But you are not, no?" He asked earnestly.

"No, a few weeks." I laughed in reply. For some reason it was obvious to other vampires that I was a newborn. How they knew I did not know.

"Your eyes are very light already, you do not feed as others do?" He asked cautiously, looking between the three of us. While my eyes did not match either Edward's or Carlisle's yet they weren't crimson either. I could see this would make no sense to him.

"No, we don't. Only animals." Carlisle answered on our behalves. "Isabella is wearing colored contact lenses although her natural color is already very light." He said proudly.

Aro chuckled a little and Carlisle playfully punched his shoulder. I could tell this was an age-old joke between the two old friends. Neither begrudged the other their chosen way of life, but neither could they agree on the benefit of that choice either.

Edward surprised me by asking if Nathaniel went to school, did he work or study.

"Oh yes. I am currently here at Stanford University. Right here in Firenze. I am studying Art History this time around." He told us and Edward nodded, impressed.

"This time around?" I asked.

"Yes. I have studied Medieval Arts and some Literature courses. I'd like to write eventually. No, first I wanted to teach, but I don't age as you can see, so I would be unable to settle in one place and teach for very long. And I like it here. I'd much rather write, from the comfort of my own home, stay anonymous."

I felt the same sense of sadness for him that I felt for Edward never being able to practice medicine because of his apparent youth.

"Are you alone?" I asked carefully. I couldn't think of any other way to ask the question and I didn't want to be crude or rude and come right out and ask whether or not he'd married, or had a woman in his life.

He looked puzzled at my question but I just didn't know how else to word it.

Edward rescued me, of course. "Bella would like to know about relationships." He smirked.

"Oh yes, I see. I have not imprinted if that is what you are asking. But I have many friends, and…" He tilted his head towards Edward and grimaced before he continued in Italian. "Non desidero essere grezzo davanti la signora, perdonarlo, sì?" (I do not wish to be crude in front of the lady, forgive me, yes?)

"Prego, se potete, ci direste? Il Bella non sarà offenduto. Se potete raccontare le vostre esperienze che, essere I più riconoscenti." (Please, if you can, would you tell us? Bella will not be offended. If you can recount your experiences I'd, we'd, be most grateful.) Edward was reassuring him, I think.

He shook his head minutely, thought for a few seconds and said very well. "At university I have indulged in human relations with girls, women. I am led to believe it was as it should have been." He smiled at the end but his embarrassment was obvious.

Carlisle leaned across the table, "I don't wish to embarrass you further Nathaniel, that is not my intention, I merely thirst for knowledge. Can you impregnate a woman Nathaniel?"

"I had always wondered that for myself Carlisle. I was tested in the late 1980's when such tests were available freely. I am able to, though have never had the desire to, as yet." He grinned and looked between Edward and I.

'_He's thinking it's not a bad idea now that's he's seen us together.' _Edward told me and I giggled softly.

**EPOV**

I was eager to be alone with Bella now. We needed a few hours, at least, to talk over all we'd learnt today.

We'd sat in that little café for hours talking and asking questions of Nathaniel. I'd thought of him as a boy up until he'd told us he was almost as old as I was, and then I changed and began to call him Nathaniel in my mind. He was no boy. He was a man. A fully functioning man by all accounts.

As the sun began to creep and the shadows increased inside the café Bella began to tug her hand out of mine at intermittent intervals and I knew her thirst was beginning to make itself known. Again we excused ourselves and left the three men to their conversation, promising to return to the hotel well before morning when we'd all meet again in the foyer.

Carlisle passed me the keys to the Mercedes and I drove Bella out to Marcus' game reserve. I waited patiently at the foot of a tree while she sated her thirst on the roe deer that were plentiful there. Marcus had greeted us pleasantly as we'd arrived but Bella needed to be away hunting so I'd promised we would return to his villa before we left for the evening. He'd waved us on without another word and we'd run hand in hand through the small forest.

Pushing the spent deer off her lap she stretched fully before skipping to where I stood. She took my face in between her palms and kissed me roughly, a huge smile at her lips.

"What was that for love?" I asked aloud.

"Because I'm so fucking happy Edward!" She laughed.

I pulled her hand into mine and began the walk back to the villa. "I am too. He's strong and healthy and normal and really human and god, it could've all been so very different." I shuddered when I thought about the alternatives.

I watched Bella rub her tummy affectionately. "He'll be fine, I'm sure of it now." She whispered.

"He?" I asked, smirking. "Do you know something I don't Ms Swan?"

"No, I don't. But I just…when I think about the baby I always think of a boy for some reason. With your hair and my eyes. He'll be an odd looking little bugger won't he?" She laughed.

"If he's got my hair he will be. I hope to god he can tame it, I bloody can't. But I love the idea of him having your eyes love." I pulled her to me and kissed her hair.

"His skin wont keep him inside. He'll be the very best of us and human." She gushed, but I was lost in my daydream of a bronze haired, brown-eyed little boy running through the woods with us.

"Seven years." I whispered. It was halfway between a statement and a sad truth.

"Yes, seven years. It will have to be enough Edward." She told me. It was all I could hope for, that I'd actually _get_ those seven years to be his father before he'd not need me. If I got that I'd be content.

"Me too Edward, if I get that long to be his mother it will have been enough." Her voice hitched and I knew she was thinking about the birth, whether she'd survive it. I knew she would, I'd just have to show her the tangible proof before she'd believe me.

That would be my mission now.

**BPOV**

I'd heard him but said nothing. I was happy for him to spend his time searching the globe for that proof. I needed to see it for myself too. But if he never found it and I fell at the final hurdle at least I'd know that our baby would survive, and survive easily, without me.

As much as Edward couldn't, and wouldn't, contemplate raising him without me I knew that he could, that he would.

If I only had Edward for seven more weeks, well then, that was how long I had him for. I'd make the most of the time we had. I'd give him as many memories as I could, to keep him warm at night after I was gone. I'd give him a son to raise to help ease the pain of my passing. They'd be together into eternity, I could give him that.

I kissed him lightly as we went into the villa to find Marcus.

I woke to the sounds of the piano. Though it was not my lullaby this time.

I pulled on a robe from the bathroom and went out into the sitting room to watch Edward play.

He didn't falter as I came to sit behind him on one of the plush sofas there.

I watched his shoulders sway, his head leaning over the keys as his fingers danced across the keys. He hummed softly as each piece of music floated from the beautiful baby grand.

As the last song came to its close he paused for half a minute, seeming to readjust his posture before plunging headlong into a very familiar tune.

It was Nessum Dorma. I had no real idea of anything about classical music but I recognized this very famous piece.

"Puccini." Edward whispered as he played. "From Turandot. It's my favourite although a great many people prefer Madame Butterfly or La boheme. For me its Turandot because it was never finished."

I came to sit beside him on the piano bench as he played. It made no sense to me that something unfinished could be his favourite and I asked him why.

"Infinite possibilities." He answered with a smile. "Music almost always comes to its logical conclusion, the final note sounds and it is done. But this, Turandot, it never ends because he died before he could finish it. It ends, but it's never truly an end, just a place to finish simply because there is nothing written at the end of the page." His face was serene as he explained and I could tell that he was using this piece of music as a euphemism for us.

"There is no end for us either baby. I'm not going anywhere, I promise." I told him, hoping against all hope that I was right.

'_I know.'_ He said silently and returned to the piece he was playing. It changed slightly and I quirked an eyebrow. "The first time this opera was played Toscanini performed it but he chose not to play the improvised ending that a colleague of Puccini had attempted from the notes he'd left behind. Instead of playing to the new ending he simply stopped the orchestra and turned to the audience and said 'Here the opera finishes, because at this point the Maestro died.' There are other accounts that say he said, more poetically I think, 'Here the Maestro laid down his pen.' When the audience had finished twittering, some of the women were openly sobbing, Toscanini picked up his baton and announced 'But his disciples finished his work' and then they finished to thunderous applause. I prefer to leave it unfinished." And with that he took his hands from the keys and put them carefully into my lap. "I refuse to write the last note Bella. I won't, I can't. I'll make it work, I swear." And then his lips covered mine.

Wednesday dawned windy and rainy and perfect for three full vampires and one half vampire to wander the ancient city at will.

Carlisle showed us the college where he underwent his first bout of medical training. He stood for a long time staring at the Villa Maria Beatrice Hospital, a small curve fronted building in the oldest part of the city. He and Aro exchanged a few more 'war stories' about times when they were first here and Edward, Nathaniel and I laughed along with their antics.

Edward waxed lyrical as we walked the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in all of Italy. We stood shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of tourists as we walked along the river back towards our hotel. We were going to catch a taxi to the other side of the river to see the Pitti Palace but decided to walk as none of us were ever going to tire anyway.

We found ourselves in the grounds, the others sitting, I was lying in Edward's lap enjoying the cloud formations and listening to Nathaniel and Aro's expert tourist information.

"Carlisle has told me of your affinity for music Edward, if you have time you should take Isabella to Torre del lago de Puccini." Nathaniel said.

"I wish I had the time to do just that, but we are leaving so early tomorrow morning." Edward said sadly.

"Bring me again." I asked him and he smiled.

"I will. I promise. I'd love to show you his tomb. He had a heart attack you know, after some surgery. If only his doctor had've been Carlisle he'd have been able to finish his opera." He chuckled, Carlisle joined in. "They were actually performing La boheme in Rome when the news broke that he'd passed. The orchestra stopped and broke into Chopin's Funeral March. The audience was stunned by the news. They buried him in Milan. A travesty his son put right in 1926 when he bought his father home and buried him here at the villa." The gleam in Edward's eyes as he told me this story was there for all to see. His love for music, his knowledge of it was staggering. It shouldn't be wasted simply because of the way he looked. I would find a way for him to put it to good use when we got home. There had to be a way, it couldn't be lost to the world as it was now.

**EPOV**

We reluctantly parted with Aro and Nathaniel at the private terminal of the Florence airport at 7am Thursday morning.

"Please say you will come Aro, Nathaniel?" Carlisle asked as he shook first Aro's hand then Nathaniel's.

"Of course old friend. I wouldn't miss it." Aro assured Carlisle. "I will see you at your wedding it seems, Edward." He told me fondly as he shook my hand.

He folded Bella into a tight hug and kissed her again at both her cheeks.

"It would be my pleasure to witness your union." Nathaniel told Bella as he kissed her cheek reverently. He turned to me and gave me a firm handshake. '_I wish you luck in your quest my friend. I will see you in a few short weeks. I will do my best to find more answers to your unspoken questions.' _He told me silently so as not to panic or frighten Bella.

"Thank you, for everything, I look forward to seeing you both then." I told him pointedly.

The glass doors were opened then and we were out onto the tarmac and into the tiny plane once again.

Bella knew better what to expect for the trip home so had gorged herself during the night on roe deer and had even tried her hand at a wild boar, which she said tasted just as disgusting as it looked.

I suggested she sleep if she could on the return trip but she said she'd save it for when her thirst was at its worst, on the last leg of our journey. I trusted her judgment so left it alone. As Carlisle got us up into the air we settled onto the rear sofa and talked about what shape our next few weeks were likely to take.

We both knew that a huge meeting would be had the instant we walked through the front doors of the house, so we agreed we'd time it so that both Charlie and Renee could be there too. We'd actually arrive at Sea-Tac at 3am but with the three hour drive from there to home we'd arrive at a reasonable time to have everyone seated around the same table as we told our tale.

Our descent into Zurich seemed to be upon us in minutes rather than the two hours it had actually been. We only had to refuel quickly this time, we didn't even need to leave the aircraft, which made Bella a lot happier. No passing through customs either as we were technically still in international airspace even though we were sat on the ground.

Half an hour after we arrived we were once again at altitude and heading for New York.

Bella was restless as we took to the air from New York on our way to Seattle. I'd asked if her thirst was once again bothering her but she said it wasn't. She was tired though, so I begged her to rest a little, sleep if she could, and assured her that I'd be right there with her.

Thankfully she did sleep for a few hours and woke only an hour out of our final destination.

Once again seated in the backseat of Carlisle's own Mercedes we sped along the highway looking for a suitable place to stop for Bella to hunt.

She was eager to be home, to see everyone, so she made quick work of a black tailed deer quite close to the edge of the highway and we were soon speeding off down the road heading for home.

**BPOV**

Alice was on the steps waiting for us and I spotted her as soon as Carlisle pulled the car into the driveway. She was hopping from foot to foot and I was so excited to see her again, despite it only having been four days, I admitted to having felt quite lost without her close to me.

I rushed out of the car and into her arms before Carlisle had switched the engine off. His quiet chuckle was matched only by Edward's guffaws.

'_So much for how about we live on our own for a while!' _He laughed, earning a poked tongue from me.

"I'm so glad you're back Bella." Alice trilled in her lovely singsong voice. "We've missed you all so much. How did it go? What's he like? Did you like Italy?" She asked in a rush.

"Give us a break Al, we've only just gotten here. We'll tell you everything but we want to tell Charlie and Renee at the same time. We'll have to call them…" He got no further, Alice was already telling him she'd seen that part already and had asked Charlie and Renee to be here in half an hour. "Well then, let us inside to say hello to everyone else then." He huffed good-naturedly.

Carlisle swept passed us on the stairs and I could hear his very passionate reunion with Esme being conducted in the kitchen. Edward grimaced slightly but said nothing. Alice simply pretended she'd not heard it, hell, she'd probably already seen it!

We went inside and Emmett and Jasper came running in through the backdoor.

"Hey!" Emmett yelled as he swept me up for a tight hug and a bit of a swing around. "You okay Smella?" He asked as he kissed my cheek.

"Yep. All good. You?" I asked.

"Oh yeah. Missed you but. I'd forgotten how boring it is around here without you around." He said shyly.

Ignoring Edward's irrational jealousy I stepped up on my tiptoes and kissed his stubbled cheek, "I missed you too big brother, but if you tell anyone I'll deny it." We laughed conspiratorially for a second before I was tapped on the shoulder by Jasper who picked me up and whirled me around as if we were dancing.

"Welcome back ma'am." He drawled, exaggerating his southern accent sweetly.

"Why thank you sir." I answered, bowing lowly from the waist. I searched Edward's face and mind when I straightened up and found the same scowling expression as I'd seen when Emmett hugged me.

"Welcome back you two. May I?" Rose asked as she crossed the room to me, holding her hand out near my belly.

I nodded and her smile stretched from ear to ear as she pressed her hand to my tummy, rubbing gently across the now prominent bump. "Any bigger do you think?" I asked shyly.

"Yeah, I think it might be, a little anyway." She giggled. "It's so good to have you home." She told me with a shy smile.

"Bella dear." Esme came to me and hugged me tightly to her as she kissed me on my hair. "Welcome home."

"Thanks mom, I missed you."

"Don't just stand there boys, take their luggage upstairs." She admonished Emmett and Jasper with a giggle.

I listened to them argue about who should have to take our bags upstairs while I watched everyone greet Edward equally as warmly as they'd greeted me, minus the tummy rub from Rose.

I sank down onto the sofa with a sigh, pleased to be home again. I was eager to see my parents now that I knew they were on their way. I had no more doubts about being near them, I'd all but ignored my thirst for the entire trip, except for the last little bit of the flight to Italy. I knew I could be nearer them now without too much worry. I wanted to hug my mother so badly. To tell her that everything was going to be all right.

I heard the car in the drive and leapt up to greet them both.

**EPOV**

I stood beside Esme and watched her leapt into her mothers arms at the foot of the stairs.

"Incredible." Esme whispered and I agreed. She really was.

Bella kissed both her parents and hugged them both before bringing them both inside. Renee hugged me lightly and Charlie shook my hand in greeting, welcoming us home from our trip.

Everyone was eager for the news we'd bought home so while Esme went to collect the two mugs of coffee she had prepared I ushered Bella's parents into the dining room and settled them into two seats beside Bella.

When everyone was seated – and Charlie and Renee had their hands wrapped around their mugs – Carlisle began.

Two hours and two hundred questions later everyone was heaving a sigh of relief as the information settled into their minds.

At the end of the explanations everyone had sat back and remained quiet for a few moments. Each of them was thinking their own private thoughts and I once again felt like a trespasser as I read them one after another.

Would Bella survive the birth? – Renee.

Would I survive if Bella did not? - Esme.

How to fend off our three 'friends' once the baby was born. – Jasper.

Could Carlisle x-ray Bella now and find out the sex of the baby? – Alice, she was plotting shopping trips.

Should the baptism be conducted in a church or at home? – Rosalie.

I'll need to obtain some basic pediatric equipment soon. – Carlisle.

Who was I going to ask to be godfather? – Emmett.

The last thought from the table brought forth an angry growl from my throat that I couldn't control.

If it's half vampire will it kill her to get out of her body? – Charlie Swan thought as he watched his daughter intently.

Carlisle leapt from his seat and stood in front of Esme and Rose defensively despite him having no idea what had upset me. His eyes flew from me to Rose to Alice to Esme and back again as he tried to decipher what the problem was. Emmett was crouched low at the other end of the room, ready to fight. Jasper had sprung to his feet and was positioning himself between Alice and me.

Charlie and Renee cringed away in terror, Bella gaped at me. She leapt to her feet and pushed me out of my chair and as we toppled over she plunged her hands into my hair and held my face to hers. "He didn't mean it, it was a valid question Edward." She screeched at me, having read Charlie's question as I ran over it myself.

"I'm sorry, let me up, I'm fine I promise." I told her, her face and hold on me softening as she read me.

She backed off me allowing me to stand. She didn't quite trust that I was in total control because instead of returning to her seat beside her mother she took a position behind her, her hands resting, one each, on her parents shoulders.

That hurt. That she felt the need to defend her parents from me. But I understood it. It was instinctual for her. I looked to Charlie first, "I'm so sorry Charlie, I didn't mean to frighten you. Your internal question took me by surprise. I apologize. I would never…could never…I swear it." I told him sincerely.

Despite being terrified of me Charlie accepted my apology but insisted he put voice to the question. Mostly this was to allay Renee's fears but it was also so that it could be answered. I'd avoided his question for so long it stung to think of it now. It physically hurt to contemplate the answer. I wanted to leave. Leave the room, the house, the area. Let them discuss it, make what they could of it, come to their own conclusions, I just didn't want to be a part of that yet.

I was so lost in my thoughts I didn't notice Bella approach me until her hands were pushing through my hair and her lips were on my ear. "Shhh, it's okay. It's okay baby. We'll be okay. Shhh. Calm down baby." She crooned over and over as I slowly came back to the surface. I grabbed her wrists and pulled her to my chest, burying my nose in the curtain of hair that fell across her shoulder, hiding my face and my distress from the family. "Shh baby, I know…I know…Shhh." She continued as my breathing began to return to normal.

'I'm so sorry Bella…I can't do this part yet…I can't…I can't write the last notes…' I told her and fled from the room.

**BPOV**

"Let him go, please Em." I said quietly, waiting for Edward to be far enough away from the house that our voices and thoughts would be once again private from him. "Give him a minute to be away, please." I told the others, hoping they'd know I wanted them to be quiet a moment longer. Nobody spoke.

I handed my mother a tissue from the box on the console table and watched as she dabbed at her tears. My father sat himself up a little straighter in his chair and scrubbed at the back of his neck with his calloused hand. "Dad, Edward doesn't want to think about this right now. He will though, when he's ready, okay? So please, ask your question out loud, let's talk about it."

"Are you sure Bells?" His voice wobbled a bit as he asked and my heart clenched for him.

"I'm sure dad." I patted moms' hand as I retook my seat. The others had relaxed now and were once again sitting in their usual spots although they were much more quiet than normal.

"Okay then. Um, I was just wondering, you know…when the baby is born…will it be born normally? Or will it, um…Bella, will you die when it comes out?" He finished strongly despite the torment in his face as he asked.

Esme sucked in a gasp at the same time that my mother sobbed loudly. Everyone had had this thought themselves at some point since I'd fallen pregnant so it wasn't a huge shock for anyone at the table, but to hear it out loud was shocking in and of itself. I had avoided the question myself for over a month and wasn't particularly interested in the answer as yet, but knew that the others deserved an answer to it. Unfortunately, I didn't have that answer and I doubted Carlisle did yet either.

"Carlisle?" I asked hopefully.

He shook his head ruefully. "I don't know Bella, I just don't know." He hung his head as he said it so I knew he was sorry he didn't have an answer for us yet. I wondered if he ever would.

"I'm not afraid." I told my parents truthfully, looking them both in the eye. "I'm not. I want this baby, so very much. Edward does too. I'm not afraid. I'll give him this child, no matter the cost." I told them in as clear and even a voice as I could muster.

My father merely nodded but my mother grabbed me and pulled me to her whispering good girl, good girl, brave girl over and over as she hugged me to her.

"I'm still researching Bella, we do have options. We have some time." Carlisle told me as encouragingly as he could.

"Teeth." Emmett whispered shaking us all out of our thoughts.

"What was that son?" Carlisle asked.

Emmett shook his head seemingly to think a little more on his idea before he answered his father. "Teeth." He said again, a little more loudly. "From what you said about Nathaniel it's teeth that will help it to be born." He seemed so sure of himself as he said it even though it made little sense to me.

Carlisle steepled his fingers under his chin as he did when he was contemplating new information at his desk and suddenly his face broke out in a wide smile. "Well done Em, well done." He clapped Emmett hard on his shoulder and elicited a matching wide smile from his son. "Emmett's right. Nathaniel is half vampire half human. His strength is the problem as it relates to you Bella. His skin is like ours, strong, untenable. Your baby will have that same skin, you yourself have it, which is the problem isn't it? How to break the membrane that surrounds the baby, allowing it to be born without damaging you yourself. The answer is teeth." He said it forcefully, throwing his chair back behind himself as he stood and came to sit beside me in Edward's vacated chair. His eyes gleamed in triumph. "Vampire teeth are the only thing that can do us damage Bella. Teeth. Long before this baby bites its way out of you we'll remove it using our teeth ourselves darling." He crowed as the others all jumped to their feet and rushed to me shouting their pleasure at the victory.


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49 Don't Mope

**EPOV**

I knew who it was before I checked the caller ID. The little LCD display only confirmed it.

"Bella." I all but groaned into my cell phone.

"Where are you baby?" She asked wearily.

"Meadow." Was all I needed to say. She'd broken the connection before I'd finished the word and was probably already in her car.

I lay back down in the cold grass and put the phone beside me on the ground. I laced my fingers as I returned my hands to their position behind my head and went back to staring at the sky. The clouds moved swiftly from horizon to horizon, forming endless bands as they moved, swirling into this, twisting into that.

She was going to be angry, among other things, when she got here. It was only a few days ago when I'd promised her I wouldn't run again. I'd sworn we'd do things together, be equals, partners in all things. And yet here I was, again, alone and brooding. I felt more justified this time than I ever had before. Nobody had done anything to me, or her. I wasn't angry, I wasn't hurt. But I did ache in pain.

I heard the low rumble of the Elise' engine and braced myself for the onslaught of Bella's wrath. I knew I deserved it, again, so I prepared myself to once again grovel at her feet.

I could hear her running up the path now. She was flying, really running, as fast as she could. God she must be seriously pissed.

I stayed still, right where I was, in the centre of the little clearing. She'd find me either by scent or from my thoughts. I knew she'd find me despite the low cloud cover and the light drizzle of rain.

And she did.

I closed my eyes as she approached, unwilling to see the anger and hurt in her eyes as they met mine.

She came to a stop at my feet; I could hear her breath and smell her delicious scent. "Edward." She called, a strange tinge to her voice. "Edward, get up, quick. Come home." She yelled, kicking me in the shins.

"What the fuck?" I asked her as I jumped to my feet. There was no need to kick me, jeez.

"Edward you have to come home, now." She was pulling on my sleeve, trying to get me to follow her back out of the meadow. She didn't sound angry she sounded excited. What the hell?

She stopped tugging and pushed me back away from her a little, making me stand squarely in front of her. She put her hands on her hips and lifted her face to meet mine. She was smiling broadly, her teeth glinting in what little light there was. "You need to come home, now Edward." She said for the third time.

"Why? Who have you enlisted to kick my ass? Emmett I assume?" I asked wearily. Why did everyone assume that Emmett being the biggest meant that he could ever get close enough to me to hurt me? Bigger wasn't always best.

"Shut the fuck up Edward, Jesus. Nobody wants to kick your ass. You're missing the celebration idiot." She said with another grin.

"What celebration?" I asked stupidly.

"Teeth stupid. The answer was teeth. All along, what we've been looking for, what you've been dreading the answer to, it's teeth Edward. Now come home and party with us." She began tugging on my sleeve again but I stood stock-still. She'd lost her mind. All the worry and panic had finally snapped her. I looked her over to see if she was injured but she looked perfectly normal, as she had when I'd left the house earlier. But her mind, perhaps her mind had gone? "Oh shut up will you. I'm perfectly fine and in charge of all my faculties. Okay, I'll explain." She pulled me over to the rocks and sat me down on one, I expected her to sit beside me but she pushed my knees apart and stood between them instead. She put her hands back on her hips and with a wide smile she began. "Emmett worked it out. The only hurdle left for us was what Charlie asked, how was the baby going to get out of me without killing me. Emmett eventually worked out the answer Edward."

"Teeth." I whispered half to myself.

"Yes, teeth. I mean it was so obvious nobody thought of it before. And why not teeth? I mean, I'll heal and all, so there's no reason why we didn't think of it before. But it makes perfect sense now that it's been said out loud. Come home Edward, everyone is celebrating." She was dancing from foot to foot as if she'd been told the answer to the secrets of the universe but I was still processing what she'd said.

"Teeth." I said again. Would that really work? Could it work? Would she heal? What if the baby opened her up from the inside before we had a chance? Oh god. Whose teeth? Could I do that to her? Could Carlisle? Fuck.

I was bought back to earth with a crushing slap to the face. "No." She snarled in my face. "You will not do this. The answer is teeth, end of story. It will work. Carlisle confirmed that I would heal. We'll do it before the baby does it itself. I don't care who does it. Enough Edward." She spat at me and I blinked hard, mostly from the shock of being slapped but also because of the simplicity of the plan and how beautiful her answers were to my questions.

I nodded once, took her hand and pulled her behind me as we ran back to the car.

**BPOV**

Charlie was tanked and Renee wasn't too far behind him. She sat in his lap at the end of the decking, drink in hand, slurring her words to Esme who giggled politely. Charlie was nearly asleep he was so drunk.

Alice and Rose had helped me make up the guest room on the ground floor for them, we'd giggled at the thought of them sharing a bed together again.

There was no way they could drive home and nobody wanted them to pass out or be sick if we drove them home and left them there so it was decided that they'd stay here, with us tonight.

Edward and I had come back just after midday and the party had continued on well into the night once the pack was called to join in the celebrations.

They had duly arrived bringing more food and alcohol and a proper party was held on the back lawn of the Cullen house.

Edward tried valiantly to drag me off, several times, for a few private moments but I was so happy, so elated that things were going to be okay that I couldn't drag myself away from the party.

I did let him corner me in the laundry room as he was sent to fetch more ice for the wolves' beer though. It was a sweet, desperate kiss that rocked me to my very foundations. With promises of more later we finally rejoined the group, to many catcalls and raised eyebrows I have to say. But it was so good to just feel safe, happy and in love that I ignored them all.

With eight hours solid drinking under his belt Charlie finally gave up the ghost and Emmett and Jasper were sent to put him to bed. Renee followed soon after and Esme and Rose took her to the guest room. Their snores rent the air much to the delight of the assembled wolves.

Emily came to collect Sam, Seth and Leah at ten and the rest of the wolves took this as their cue to leave also, citing work the next day as the excuse. With shouted promises to do it all again on the weekend they were finally driving off down the driveway towards the Rez. Edward wasted no time scooping me up over his shoulder and running me upstairs to our room.

I didn't get much sleep that night.

I met a bleary eyed and clearly hung over Renee in the kitchen the next morning. She said good morning in a voice reminiscent of Darth Vader. It was barely a whisper. When I replied she clutched at her head and mumbled something about even my singsong voice being like razor blades to her thumping head.

I stifled my giggle and kissed Esme good morning. I pushed another cup of coffee across the counter to my mother and took the stool beside her.

Esme placed four small brown paper wrapped parcels in front of me and I smiled widely, knowing these were the charm deliveries I'd missed while we were away.

"There will be another today as well." She giggled. "They're in order dear." She told me as I looked from one to the other to determine the postmark dates.

"Thanks." I told her and ripped open the paper on the first one. The normal black satin pouch slid into my hand and out of it came a large round topaz set in a surround of etched gold. I took a moment to study it and I felt sure it was somehow meant to symbolize the changing colour of my eyes. I was eager to know if I'd finally worked out how Edward thought so I ripped open the accompanying envelope and read it aloud. Not too loud though, my mother was rather fragile. "My darling Isabella, I could, and will, spend eternity staring into your beautiful topaz eyes. It is believed they are the mirrors to ones soul. In yours I see our future happiness. In 18 days you will be my wife and we can begin to build that future. I love you for all eternity, your Edward xx." I pushed the tiny gold loop closed and settled my newest charm onto my bracelet where it belonged.

My mother reached out and jangled the bracelet, letting each charm fall through her fingers. "It's really lovely Bells." She whispered.

The next one was quite different. It took my breath away with its intricacy. I passed it to Esme who immediately began to gasp. "It's amazing, so beautiful. Look how perfect the lion is." She gushed. She passed it back to me and I slipped it onto my bracelet. "Read it for us Bella." She nodded at the envelope and I tore it open hastily.

"To my darling Isabella, I know you have your Cullen crest bracelet and I know how much you love and cherish it. This Cullen crest is to show you how much I love and cherish you. How much I want you to be a Cullen, my Cullen. My Mrs Cullen. In 17 days that will be my reality and you will finally be a Cullen in every way. Wear this and know you carry my pride, my utter devotion and very soon my love you'll carry my name. Yours into eternity, Edward xx." I couldn't help the choked sob that broke from my throat as I reread it.

"You don't like it love?" he asked from where he was leaning against the door frame. I hadn't heard him approach I'd been so wrapped up in reading and uncovering my treasures. I flew off the stool and jumped up into his chest, peppering his face with tiny kisses. "I guess you do then." He chuckled as I kissed his cheeks, his throat, his neck, and his lips again.

"I love it Edward. Truly I do. It's the best one yet." I told him truthfully. I held out my bracelet and he ran each charm through his fingers before taking the tiny replica of my crest between his fingers and bringing it a little closer to his face. He thought what a remarkable job the jeweler had done in copying his cuff crest and I smiled. Not only did his daily charm take forethought but also this particular one he'd had to have specially made. God I loved him!

**EPOV**

She looked so lovely, perched on that stool ripping open the parcels like a kid at Christmas. The way her eyes lit up as she recognized the topaz, I knew she'd work that one out without needing to read the letter. It was pretty obvious.

But when she opened the tiny crest and her eyes sparkled in delight she became even more beautiful, if it was possible.

I knew how she revered the crest, how important it was to her. I wanted her to know it was important to me that she be a Cullen because of me, not just because she was now a vampire who lived with us.

I watched enthralled as she opened the third parcel and uncovered a tiny gold musical note dangling from a gold loop. Both her mothers sighed as she read the letter out loud.

"My dearest Isabella, My love for music is only eclipsed by my love for you. You inspire me to write, to play, you are by far the fairest muse. In 16 days we'll wed and I will write for you for the rest of my existence. With all my love, Edward xx." I watched as she crimped the tiny loop shut, putting the charm in its rightful place. She slid off the stool once more and came to kiss me in thanks. "I love it Edward." She told me, kissing me again before returning to the counter, showing Renee the latest addition when she got there.

"One more to go dear." Esme motioned towards the last parcel and Bella tore into it with as much gusto as she had the other three.

The tiny gold padlock slipped into her little hand with a little jingling sound. She looked down at it for a few seconds then she prized open its little loop and clipped it neatly onto her bracelet. She tore open the envelope and read, without waiting to be encouraged by the two women flanking her. This was a practiced routine. "To my darling Isabella, I want you locked to me for all eternity. I want your heart, your soul, your thoughts and your actions locked to mine in every way possible. In 15 days I will declare myself to be yours. In front of our families, our friends and before god. Lock yourself to me Isabella, I will not let you go. Yours in eternal love, Edward xx."

"So lovely." Renee murmured looking to me with a smile.

Bella stooped to kiss her mother at her cheek and went around the counter to kiss Esme in the same way. Then she stood before me, took my hand in hers and bought it to her lips. Kissing me softly she returned her eyes to mine. "Thank you Edward, I love them all as I love you. Hunt with me."

I took her hand and bought it to my own lips. I kissed it softly, "Of course. Good day, ladies." I bowed slightly to my mother and soon to be mother in law and led my fiancé into the woods.

"It seems we are at a loose end today love. I was supposed to bring you to the Rez to see everyone after our trip, but last nights festivities have laid waste to that plan." I told her hoping she'd have a plan for the day, for I had none. She was lying against me, her back to my chest, as I lay against a rock beside the river. We'd hunted briefly and made love in the lush grass languidly. Now we were soaking up the afternoon sunshine, what there was of it.

"Hmm, I guess we'll be seeing them again tomorrow anyway so no, I don't need to go there today. We wont get too many more free days I don't think. Alice has me pretty well solidly booked between now and the wedding." She was idly stroking her fingertips along my forearm giving me goose bumps with her feather light touch.

"I am too, fittings and arrangements, travel to be organized, a god awful bucks night to try and shake myself loose from." I chuckled. I pressed a light kiss to the nape of her neck loving the way she shivered as my lips made contact with her skin.

"Let them have their fun Edward. It won't hurt you and it's only ever going to happen once, so you can afford to play along a bit." She scolded me playfully.

"I'll play along if you do when it's your turn love." I laughed heartily. I knew she had no idea of Alice' plans for a hen night, it was time she knew.

"What do you mean hen night? Nobody said anything about me having to have one, I wont do it. No way." She pouted adorably.

"Oh, come now Isabella. It won't hurt you and it's only ever going to happen once, so you can afford to play along a bit." I echoed her own words, earning me a stiff scowl and a poke of her pretty pink tongue. It only made me laugh harder at her tiny tantrum.

"I'll play along with the women if you go along with the men." She said with a huff. It really wouldn't hurt me to play along and I had listened when Esme told me that my brothers – and Carlisle apparently – were really looking forward to this rite of passage with me.

"Deal." We said in unison.

**BPOV**

The sun was setting before we made it back to the house that day. Charlie and Renee were long gone. Emmett had taken great pleasure in describing to me my fathers appalling hangover and his even more horrible homemade cure.

We were all seated in the living room enjoying the fire and Edward's playing when Alice came to sit by me. She put her head in my lap and I began to play with her hair idly.

"You need to go to Seattle right?" She asked out of the blue.

"I do." I answered honestly, knowing she'd had some type of vision that had shown her why I needed to go. Edward's wedding present from me could only be achieved in a large city like Seattle. I had planned to ask her to go with me, it seemed I didn't need to now.

"We'll go tomorrow. Any objections?" She asked casually of the room. There were no dissenters although Edward worried silently about my safety. But Alice had his measure, as ever. "You said either with me or you Edward, I'm going too, problem solved." She smiled sweetly at me and that was the end of that.

Alice 1 Edward nil.

That's when I realized that Edward hadn't argued, not really, not like he normally would. He was up to something. He was pleased I'd be away for the day, well for at least part of it tomorrow. There was something he needed to do that he could only achieve without me here. Hmmm. Intriguing. I wouldn't pry though, there were things I didn't want him to know about before the wedding either, I could be patient. I would find out eventually, as would he.

Rose and Emmett were the first to excuse themselves. Esme and Carlisle followed soon after and pretty soon it was just the four of us sitting by the fire listening to Edward play. I'd never been so happy or content.

Jasper stretched from his position on the ottoman and came to stand before Alice. "Shall we adjourn ma'am?" he asked formally.

She reached for his hand turned back to kiss me on the cheek and then skipped up the stairs after her husband.

'_Come share my bench.' _Edward asked me and I quickly obliged.

He scooted over, making room for me and I slipped in beside him, watching his lovely fingers cover the massive expanse of keys deftly. As usual I had no idea what it was he was playing I just knew it was lovely. Soothing. I let my hands fall to my lap and I closed my eyes as the notes washed over me. The tiny movement I felt in my belly startled me a little at first. The first time I felt it I thought I was imagining it. I'd felt it before but usually during or right after hunting. I always assumed it was just my full stomach. But this was different. This was stronger for a start. It wasn't so much a flutter this time either. It was more of a nudge. Kind of like being ribbed but from the inside.

"Bella?" Edward had stopped playing and had swung around to face me on the bench, his eyes were worried, his hands tense.

I looked down and realized I was cupping my stomach defensively. When I looked back up I smiled as widely as I could. "I felt him." I said, astounded.

Edward matched my smile with his own and put his hands over mine obviously hoping to feel him too. I shifted so that my hands were lower, allowing his more room, a greater expanse in case the baby moved again I didn't want him to miss it. But all was still. We waited for a full ten minutes like that, just sitting there staring at each other waiting. Of course to us it felt like seconds. Time meant little when you had forever.

**EPOV**

I knew it would happen again, eventually, but I was sorry when I removed my hands without having felt it that time. I couldn't wait to feel the first kicks of our baby inside her. I knew that humans longed for that too, I was no different. It was the only way I could share this with her.

I reluctantly returned my hands to the piano and began to play her lullaby. I wanted to take her up to bed soon anyway, this would be a nice way to close out a lovely day spent together.

I began the second section when she giggled. I was about to stop playing and ask what she found so funny when she put a hand on my forearm. "Don't stop. Can you play something one handed for a moment?" She asked with another giggle.

"Umm, sure." I answered. I had no idea what she was trying to achieve but played along. I let my right hand fall away from the keys and played a tiny repeating melody with only my left. I let her guide my right hand to her tummy and I held very still. I quickly worked out what she was trying to show me, she was waiting for me to feel it as she had. I watched her belly where my hand rested thinking I would be able to feel it better if I concentrated harder. There. Did I feel that or did I imagine it?

"That's it." She whispered.

Again. A tiny push against my hand. So very small. Hardly a movement at all but there…again…I moved my left hand further up the scale, playing notes at a higher register to see if it would move again. There…a tiny movement against my palm. I looked up to her and smiled, incredulous. '_That's our baby.'_ I told her stupidly, stating the fucking obvious.

"Yes Edward." She whispered against my temple as she kissed me.

'_This is just for me, for now Isabella. Please?'_ I begged her silently. She creased her eyebrow up asking me what I meant. '_For a little while this is just for me, these first movements, kicks. Let me have this alone for a few days, please. Then you can share it with the others.' _I plead.

"Okay Edward." She whispered in reply. "Come to bed baby." She crooned against my lips.

I didn't even bother shutting the piano lid that night.

**BPOV**

I had wanted to drive but Alice had insisted we take her Porsche because she rarely got to drive it. I couldn't deny her when I saw her pouty bottom lip and quickly gave in, as she knew I would.

It had taken Carlisle three hours to drive to Seattle, it took Alice two. She was a lunatic. Even now I was a vampire she scared me shitless. She took bends at the very last second, she never ever indicated when turning. She skidded around most of the corners she came to and ignored others, choosing to just straighten out the bends in the road as she saw fit. She laughed each time I tugged on the sissy handle above me. Needless to say it was a very, very quiet trip.

I almost sunk to my knees and kissed the ground when she pulled up in the parking lot in the city.

"Don't be so dramatic Bella. Even if we did crash we'd walk away." She giggled, grabbing my hand and pulling me into the camera shop.

I was about to ask how she knew where I needed to go but thought better of it. This was Alice I was talking about, she knew almost everything. Well, not everything I thought as I rubbed my little nudger tenderly.

We approached the counter and waited our turn to be seen by the technician. He eyed us cautiously, unable to put his finger on why the hair at the back of his neck stood on end just now. I'd seen the look a hundred times already. I stifled the giggle and produced my locket from around my neck.

"I'd like to have two photographs restored and enlarged please." I told him as I opened the locket carefully. I slid the two little gold discs aside and used a fingernail to dislodge the pictures of Edward's parents from their hiding spot. I slid them across the counter and let the man look them over.

"You're lucky you're doing this now they wouldn't have lasted too much longer lady." He told me. "It can be done, might take a few days. How big are we talking?" He asked.

I told him the dimensions of the copies I wanted made and handed over my credit card to pay for both the repair to the originals and the copies. I was about to sign for the purchase when Alice tugged at my sleeve insistently. "What is it Alice?"

She pointed above us to an arrangement of photos that had been printed onto canvasses. They looked as though they'd been painted. "You should have them done like that Bella, he'd love that."

I looked to the technician and he confirmed it could be done without a problem. Once he had made a digital copy of the original he could transfer it to any medium I chose. I didn't hesitate. I asked for him to make them into canvasses. He adjusted the price and I signed for it. I thanked him and promised to return in the agreed upon four days to collect the finished products.

**EPOV**

As soon as Alice' mental voice had faded from my periphery I had my cell phone in my hand. It only rang twice before it was answered.

"Hello." His gruff voice greeted me.

"Phil it's Edward Cullen calling." I waited for him to either reply or hang up. When he did neither I plowed on. "I'm calling to ask you to please reconsider your inability to attend the wedding. I know that Bella wants you there." I told him sincerely although I didn't want the bastard anywhere near her.

It was a few seconds before he answered. "I can't. Sorry."

"She wants you there, you're her father as much as Charlie is. Please, I'm begging you to reconsider. If not for yourself then for her. Pretend for a few hours, for her sake." I had wanted to tell him about the baby but knew that if he wouldn't do it for her the knowledge of a baby wouldn't help.

He didn't hesitate this time. "No. Don't call here again Edward." And with that he ended the call.

I was so furious I was about to crush the phone in my hand when Jasper worked his magic on me from the floor below. The intense serenity I felt topped my anger in spades and I put the phone back into its charging cradle on my desk. "Thanks Jaz." I told him and heard his 'no problem' easily through the floorboards.

"Good on you for trying son." Carlisle said from his study.

"Nah, fuck him and the horse he rode in on." Came from Emmett in the garage. Rose just laughed as Esme admonished him.

I sat at my desk and stared at the row of photos Bella had lined up on the hutch. The two of us at the lake, me on my bike outside the cabin, Esme crouching in her garden tending the herbs and the one I'd taken of her as she stood leaning against the Elise in the driveway. They all stood in matching silver frames. Lined up in a regimented way. Pieces of her life. A life that would never again include her stepfather. It wasn't right but there was nothing more I could do about it.

"Don't mope." Jasper shouted and I laughed.

"Shut up Jaz." I called in reply, earning me a similar admonishment from Esme despite the fact I'd not sworn. I was about to protest when Jasper stuck his head around the door.

"He's an ass Ed. You wont change his mind. Let it alone now brother." He took Bella's seat at the desk opposite me in time for him to see my nod of agreement.

"I will. Thanks." I had a brochure in my hand and he plucked it deftly from my fingers. I'd known he was about to do it but I did want a second opinion so I let him.

"Bella's wedding gift?" He asked astutely.

"Yeah. I have to do it while she's away for the day. I can't fucking move without being read." I chuckled darkly. "Sorry Es." I shouted as an afterthought.

"Bloody foul mouthed boys." Esme grumbled as she went out the backdoor into her garden. "Sorry Esme, sorry Esme. They think they're so grown up." She muttered sarcastically.

Jasper was laughing heartily and I soon joined in. Esme was a hoot when she was riled up.

He returned his attention to the brochure and cocked an eyebrow. "What have you got in mind?"

"Second page, third one from the left. 13, big ones, huge ones. And a massive pink one in the middle. What do you think?" I asked as he turned the page and began to look at my choice.

"Awesome. Can I ask what it means? Knowing you there's a meaning." He rolled his eyes at me.

"Let her tell you." I told him slyly. "It will sound better coming from her, trust me."

"It's beautiful Ed. She'll love it no matter what it means. Now, lets talk about your bucks night." He said with an evil grin. All I could do was groan.

**BPOV**

"Oh come on Bella, it's your wedding. You have to wear something sinful under that demure dress, its tradition. It has to make his eyes pop out when he unwraps you." She giggled as I squirmed.

"But it's too small. I'll spend the whole day with a massive wedgie Alice. Can't I wear something practical for the ceremony and then change later?" I bargained.

"I suppose you could. But Bella you only get to do this once, don't you want to feel desirable on your wedding day?" She was pouting, I knew she was pouting even though I couldn't see her through the dressing room curtain.

"I do Alice, but I'll be big by then. These probably wont even fit by then. I promise you can buy whatever you like for me to wear for later on, but for the ceremony, under that dress, I want something normal." I'd have stomped my foot if it got me my way.

"Fine." She huffed. "But not granny pants Bella. I draw the line at granny pants. I'll go and look in the maternity section, stay there."

Two minutes later an armful of dainty lace knickers and matching bras came crashing over the top of the dressing room. "Thanks Alice." I said sarcastically.

Half an hour later we walked out of the shop with three bags and lighter wallets to the tune of twelve hundred dollars. Alice had waved away the cost as a necessary evil of having a wedding. The salesperson had laughed all the way to commission heaven.

"Now you need a going away outfit." Alice announced as we walked through the giant mall.

"What for? We're only going to the cottage." I laughed at the thought of changing out of my wedding dress into another outfit for the two miles journey to the cottage. Edward and I could run it in one minute!

"You're so funny Bella. As if I'd let you leave in your wedding dress! Your going away outfit makes a statement as much as your wedding dress. It shows your guests your style, your sense of occasion. And remember, lots of them haven't met you before so they'll be watching to see what you leave in." She nodded gravely at me.

She was serious! The god damned shopping Nazi was serious!

"Oh come on Alice, are you really insisting I wear a different outfit to run two miles into the woods?" I asked incredulously.

She stopped mid stride and pulled me up against the front of a bookshop window. "Listen Bella. After the ceremony Edward is going to want to take you home to the cottage for the first time, right?" She waited till I nodded then continued. "So he gets you there and he shows you everything we've done. He takes you to the bedroom and peals you out of your clothes. Do you really want him to have to undo a hundred tiny pearl buttons from a dress designed a hundred years ago? He should undress you from a smart, sexy, modern outfit designed specifically to drive him nuts on the trip there. You want something that he's going to actually rip off your body. He can't do that to your wedding dress. _That's _what a going away outfit is for." She told me conspiratorially.

"Okay Alice, lead me to that outfit." I told her. I was totally convinced. She'd sold me.


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50 Fight or Defend

**EPOV**

"I am convinced she'll do well Renee. You saw her yesterday, not even a flinch the whole time. And this time we can break the trip and feed during the stops." I handed her my credit card and she wrote the numbers down on the little notepad. We'd just spent a good hour plotting the flights and organizing the stop overs we'd need to book for the honeymoon. All that was left to do was call the airline and book, which Renee would do so there would be no trace of the information in my thoughts for Bella to decipher.

"It's so romantic. You spoil her, it's so sweet Edward." She told me, her eyes shining brightly.

"I like doing it. She used to fight me for everything, every gift no matter how tiny, but now she is more accepting." I looked away to the trees at the back of Charlie Swan's yard and remembered the hours I'd spent there, watching, waiting. It was still hard to believe how far we'd come sometimes. And here I was sitting in the house, with her mother, organizing our honeymoon no less!

"She's not one for fancy though, is she? She always did prefer plain and simple, in everything. Clothes, food, everything." Renee said idly as she made a few more scrawled notes on the pad. "And you're sure you want the cleaning crew to come on those specific dates?" She asked. When I nodded she put tick marks next to her notes.

"I want to go for longer, there's no need to rush back, but I know she'll fret for the family if we are away for more than a week or so." I told her truthfully, knowing it may hurt her feelings. I watched her expression carefully, ready to intervene if she was offended or hurt. She was. Her brow creased and her eyes crinkled slightly. I reached across the little kitchen table and took her hand in mine softly, careful not to startle or frighten her. "Renee, listen to me please. I need to explain why Bella feels that way. It's no reflection on the life she led with you and Charlie before, when she was human, its because she's vampire now. She's craving her own kind at the moment because it's all so new to her still. She misses you terribly, I promise you that. She's happiest when she's with you and her father, more so now that her thirst is well controlled and she can have physical contact with you. I promise you, her attachment to my family, my sisters especially, is because they understand how she's feeling." I hoped I'd explained it properly despite it being on purpose that I'd made the initial statement.

I needed Renee to know that for now, for the next few years at least, Bella would be unable to be where the family were not. And I needed Renee to understand why.

She returned her eyes to mine and I watched as a single tear ran down to her chin. In her mind she had heard and understood all that I'd said but her heart ached for the daughter she felt she'd slightly lost. With a strained smile she patted my hand. "I understand." She said quietly. "I'm just being silly, I know." She said as heartily as she could manage.

"It's not silly. Don't ever think that. And please don't think that I don't understand the loss you're feeling. Oh I understand how happy you are to still have your daughter in your life but I also know that it's very difficult to reconcile that with the type of relationship you have with her now. But I promise, as she moves through this first difficult phase of adjustment that will get better too. Do you remember the night you arrived?" I asked and she nodded weakly, trying not to remember too many details of the first, horrifying night. "Do you remember how much it hurt to think that you'd not be able to see her for a year or so?" She nodded again and blinked hard, trying to remember that sting. "Well now, you've seen a lot more of her than I ever thought you'd be able to and you're going to be able to see a heap more of her than that as time goes on. And a baby too, grandma." I said playfully.

Her smile lit her whole face up and she began to laugh a little. "Grandma. Jeez, I never thought before…she's so young…a baby. I wish I could've met Nathaniel for myself, seen for myself that he's, you know?" she shrugged a little.

"You will meet him Renee. He and Carlisle's friend Aro are arriving the day before the wedding, they'll stay at the house for a few days so once Bella and I are away for the honeymoon you and Charlie can get to know him, ask any questions you'd like to ask. He's a lovely boy, no; I have to remind myself he's not a boy. He's a man." I laughed lightly.

"That's good to know. I'll look forward to that. Did you know that Phil declined the invitation?" She asked, changing tack subtly.

I hung my head, my anger still so close to the surface. I swallowed the small pool of venom his name had elicited and chose my words very carefully. "Yes, I did know that. I spoke with him earlier today. He won't change his mind. I'm sorry Renee."

"Yeah, well, he always was a stubborn shit." She giggled. "Don't beat yourself up over it kid, he wont take my calls and he's sent me divorce papers already. Good riddance." She mumbled.

I had to laugh at being called kid; I was older than she was!

"Will you be staying in Forks for a while then?"

"Yes, I think I will. It's not as bad as I remember it." She tuned out slightly, looking away over my shoulder, her eyes misting over as she thought of having to leave Charlie a second time. The errant thought hurt her I was shocked to notice.

"Good, I'll pencil you in to babysit some time!" I chortled.

**BPOV**

"I'm done Alice, really I'm done. If you won't tell me where he's taking me I'll just leave it to you to organize the clothes." I huffed. I was sick of shopping now. I couldn't even play the 'I'm tired' card anymore.

Alice laughed and told me that was fine, she had no intention of ruining the surprise of the honeymoon destination and she was hoping I'd let her do the shopping for it anyway. She could've just told me that before we got here!

"Come on, let's go. Edward is finished his business and he's going to start texting you soon anyway." She whispered as we began walking out of the mall.

"What business Alice?" I hedged, but she wasn't having it.

"Nope, my life isn't worth the wrath of Edward when he's in stealth wedding mode." She answered quizzically. It seemed she'd been nobbled!

The tiny trunk of the Porsche was overflowing with bags, we'd made four trips out there already, and now I had to sit with the last of the bags on my lap because they just wouldn't fit. We should've bought the Elise; at least it had a bit more room in the trunk.

I held on for dear life as Alice retraced the terrifying drive back to Forks. We stopped when we came to the turn off that led to the meadow and she let me run off and sate my burning thirst while she stayed with the car and phoned our ETA to the house.

When I returned, happy and fatter for the experience, she told me Edward was indeed home and was waiting somewhat impatiently for my return.

He was waiting on the sofa, two brown wrapped parcels in his lap. His smile was angelic. '_Thank god, come here beautiful.'_ He closed his eyes as he thought it; his pleasure at seeing me home safely was palpable. I dropped the shopping bags at my feet and flung myself into his lap. With my arms around his neck I pulled his lips to mine, losing myself in his scent.

"I'll just take these upstairs then Bella." Alice giggled and I waved to her over my shoulder with no intention of breaking our kiss.

'_You have mail my love.' _Edward told me between kisses to my cheeks, jaw and lips. Reluctantly I withdrew from him slightly and took the two parcels out of his lap.

"You still haven't succeeded in frightening the UPS man enough to make him come out here on a Sunday huh?" I giggled as I tore the paper of the first one. Edward huffed playfully beside me. Slipping my fingers under the lip of the pouch I tipped it and a tiny five-pointed star into my waiting hand. I held it out and let Edward clasp it to my bracelet.

"I shall play Esme's part. Read the note Bella, don't keep me in suspense." Edward chortled. I elbowed him and he huffed as he was supposed to, despite it not having hurt.

"Dearest Isabella, As the stars in the night sky make themselves known another day comes to an end. Now that all my days are spent by your side the twilight will never again be a solemn reminder of the day that has passed. In 14 days you will put the seal on the last days of my longing, as you become my wife, I will no longer fear the long nights of loneliness. Yours into eternity, Edward xx."

I leaned over and cradled his face in my palms and kissed him softly. "It's beautiful, just like you."

"I'm glad you like it. Fourteen days now Isabella." He said with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Two weeks. It's gone so fast, hasn't it?"

He nuzzled my neck and took my hand into his, rolling my rings as he always did, between his long fingers. "Not quite fast enough love." He chuckled. _'Come upstairs, let's practice the wedding night.' _He thought evilly.

"Let me open this first, naughty boy." I pulled the other parcel into my lap and undid the wrapping. Inside this satin pouch was a tiny enameled four-leaf clover. I let him add it to my bracelet and then I held the envelope aloft. "Play your part Edward." I teased.

"Oh Bella, isn't he romantic. Open the letter, read it out so we can swoon at his devotion to you, you're so lucky." He sang in the weirdest impression of a woman I'd ever heard. A half dozen separate laughs came from various directions in the house, none as loud as Emmett's.

Still giggling I began to read, "My darling Isabella, The number 13 is sometimes seen as an unlucky number, but not for me. For in 13 days you will be my wife and I will have the honor of loving you forever. You were born on the number 13 and I've considered it the luckiest of all numbers since. I love you Isabella, with you beside me I'll always be the luckiest of men. All my love, Edward xx."

I wound my fingers in his hair and pulled him to me, kissing him soundly on his beautiful lips. "I am lucky." I whispered. "Now, let's get ready for the party."

**EPOV**

We were late to the party despite the fact that it was held in our own home. Our shower had taken far longer than I would've predicted previously.

I replayed it to myself a few times as I sat on the end of my bed putting my socks on. Bella was drying her hair in the bathroom and I could still taste her on my tongue, smell her on my skin.

We'd been called downstairs a few times already and it was safe to say that the natives were getting restless – pardon the pun – so we were trying to hurry now.

The impromptu party was a continuation of the celebrations from Thursday evening so it was fairly casual. The wolves had arrived by the carload, this time with their wives and girlfriends – and in Leah Clearwater's case with her new beau Jack – in tow. The lawn was now scattered with deck chairs and coolers overflowing with alcohol and soda. Alice had produced a stereo and Rose had resurrected the garden torches that now cast a soft glow around the area.

The noise was staggering. With the glass doors in our room open we could hear the racket being made quite clearly. Not for the first time I was glad we had no close neighbors.

Even if we did I had an 'in' with the local law.

"Hey, you can't use my dad for your own ends Edward." Bella pouted from the open bathroom door.

"I can too." I countered, childishly.

"Have you even paid your fine yet?" she asked and I rolled my eyes.

"Of course I have, I'm terribly responsible you know."

"Hmm mmm, you tell yourself that Mr 'I'm only hopping in the shower with you just now to save water and time Isabella'." She laughed.

"I said I was responsible, I did not say I wasn't a scoundrel." I stood and tucked in my shirt and clasped my belt, I was ready. "Are you ready love?"

"One minute." I heard the hairdryer switch off and then she was beside me. All warm and soft and oh god, if we didn't leave now I'd lock the door and…"Edward!" she yelled. "Behave, jeez."

"Fine." I huffed. "Come on gorgeous, lets go party hearty."

**BPOV**

"I think it's all organized now, but you'd have to ask Alice really. I just have to turn up." I giggled.

"We haven't even set a date yet, you'll already have your little one by the time we get around to doing it." Emily sighed.

I laughed along trying hard to imagine myself at her wedding with a small child in my arms. "Sam told you then huh?" She nodded, "I still can't quite get my head around it, you know?"

"Oh I know, trust me, I know. If you're like me you were just minding your own business and then one day bam!" She began to search the yard for Sam and he turned to look for her at exactly the same instant. They mirrored each others smiles and I couldn't help letting out the little 'aww' that came to mind.

"Yeah, I remember bam!" I giggled.

'_Your smile is so beautiful Isabella.' _I heard his mental voice but couldn't spot him right away. I tried to subtly scan the yard as Emily had done but didn't see him. I held my breath to block out the human scents near me and I concentrated on only the vampire scents in the area. There…north…I opened my eyes and looked to where he stood, leaning against the back of a deck chair, legs crossed at the ankle talking to Paul and Quil. Seth was sat in the chair he was leaning on. They were laughing and chatting about the cliff diving last weekend. Edward looked as though he was involved and engaged in the conversation but as his eyes met mine I knew he was anything but. _'Come to me, I need to touch you.' _He stared at me as he thought it and it sent a tiny shiver through me.

I excused myself from the conversation with Emily citing the need to ask Edward something. She didn't seem to mind and she returned to the small group of pack girlfriends that were clustered around Alice and her stack of fashion magazines.

I stopped to ask my father if he was having a nice time but as soon as I could I was beside Edward, slipping my hand into his. Without breaking the circle of discussion he leant down and kissed me softly at the base of my neck, under my hair. I felt and heard him inhale strongly. _'Delicious.' _He told me and I shivered again.

"What's Italy like Bella?" Seth tipped his head backward and asked me.

"Fantastic. I've never been anywhere so anywhere was going to be brilliant, but I loved it. I want to go again one day." I told him truthfully.

"Edward says you don't know where you're going on your honeymoon?" Paul asked and I nodded that he was right. I'd been digging through Edward's head for clues but had to admit it was a halfhearted attempt at best. I really was looking forward to the big surprise.

"That's pretty cool dude, making it a surprise. Tough to organize with her in your head though right?" Quil asked with a smirk.

"You've no idea." Edward drawled. I laughed because he really did look and sound like he hated me being able to read him. Maybe he really did?

"Now you know how everyone else feels." I said smugly. The boys cracked up in agreement.

The rain set in at about 1am so the party wrapped soon after. More congratulations and words of support and encouragement were given to both Edward and I as the last of the guests made their way out the driveway.

"Come upstairs love." Edward took my hand and led me to our room. I thought he'd want to go to bed, insist I sleep after all day shopping and then all night at a party but instead of pulling me down beside him on the bed he pulled me down on the sofa.

He fiddled with the remote and soon the sounds of his musical compositions came out of the stereo softly. I was just about to ask what he felt like doing when he slid his palms under my jersey and spread his fingers over my belly. It was so lovely to watch him close his eyes and wait so patiently for the baby to move or kick.

I slid down deeper into the back of the sofa so that my bump was stuck out in front of me fully. We both held our breath waiting.

As Esme's lullaby built to its crescendo the faintest nudge grabbed me, making Edward suck in a long slow hiss over his teeth.

'_Was that?' _he asked wide-eyed but still silently so this would be just between us.

I nodded and put my own palms against his, holding his hands there. We waited again, holding in our breath. I felt a new movement, a sort of rolling under the surface of my belly button. I closed my eyes to see if I could feel it again and when I did Edward's hand jumped slightly under mine. _'So amazing…I wonder if he, or she, knows who I am?' _he speculated in his head.

"Talk Edward." I told him, taking my hands away.

He shuffled down the sofa further and came to kneel between my knees. He put his cheek on my stomach and began to hum softly along with the music. I felt the baby roll again against my belly button and Edward smiled up at me with the most adorable grin. "Hello baby…beautiful baby…all safe and warm in there…" he kept humming and the timbre of his voice began to change as he crooned against my bare skin. "I can't wait to meet you…hold you…tiny baby…" he began to rub soft circles with the pads of his fingers, kissing in the places his fingers left their heated trail. "Everyone is so eager to meet you…I know your momma is too…she's so beautiful baby…she's going to be the best momma in the world…we all love you so much baby…" he crooned.

I began to run my fingers through his hair as he spoke. I could feel the baby rolling and nudging me as his lips brushed across the tiny bump.

His kisses began to change, I don't know when, and he began to press his fingers into my hips, sliding me further and further down the edge of the sofa until his head was hovering above my centre instead of my stomach…his cherubic face twisted into a cheeky grin as he lowered his mouth to cover me on the outside of my jeans.

'_I love you Bella.' _He told me as his fingers began to undo my pants.

**EPOV**

Jasper was at the house researching and Carlisle was at the hospital for his normal shift. Alice had begged off the hunt saying she had dress fittings with Renee and Esme to sort out today.

So that was how Emmett and I were stood watching Rose and Bella as they ran back from their hunt through the clearing. I knew they'd be okay if they stayed close because I'd be able to still read Rosie even if I couldn't read Bella.

Emmett and I were just shooting the breeze talking about traveling after the baby was born and strategizing about how we could make that possible when I felt the first flutter of brain activity near me.

I could clearly hear Rose and Emmett, this was a new voice. For half a second I thought it might be the baby but as the thoughts became clearer I realized it was an adult voice and one I didn't know. It was a male vampire. He was running, very fast along the opposite edge of the river to where we stood now. He knew we were here, he was watching as he ran. This was James.

The instant I had a take on the mental voice I began calling for the girls. One look at my face was enough to put Emmett into his crouch and as Rose and Bella dashed to our sides they too took up defensive crouches. Bella had read the problem in my mind and as I took out my cell phone and dialed home she filled my brother and sister in quietly.

"Jaz, get everyone home, lock it down. Two miles North of our clearing, across the river, traveling alone." I snapped it shut not waiting for an answer. I looked to Rose, "Get home, and stay inside. Have Jasper come at him from the North East." She nodded and Bella was about to protest when I snarled at her. She took Rosie's hand and headed for home without a whimper.

When they were out of earshot I turned to Emmett. "Alice wont have seen this, she has no scent marker for him, we're on our own. Say so if you want to go home and defend."

"Fuck that." He snarled and I could read from his brain that he was eager to have this done now, if possible.

"Go south, come up through the pass where the river narrows, if he's fast Jasper will pick him off as he comes to the mouth of the river. If he's a bit slower we'll have our chance at him nearer the beach. Good luck bro." We bumped fists and then we were running.

I flew along the river until I could hear him more clearly then I jumped from the nearest clear spot I could find and landed on his side of the river. He was maybe five hundred yards ahead and traveling fast. The bastard had stopped running to listen to us planning so he knew we were coming at him from different directions. He was laughing at me in his head as he ran, taunting me, telling me he'd have my woman and my baby and there was fuck all I could do about it.

His thoughts were clumsy though, addled. He hadn't expected us to give chase, he thought we'd spot him or hear him and then herd the girls home to defend. He had no intention of coming near our home, he was alone, and he'd never take that risk. But he was on a scouting mission and he'd gotten what he came for. He knew the boundary to our territory now and he also knew we were going to be proactive, we'd give chase when he threw down the gauntlet.

My cell beeped insistently and I pulled it open as I continued running. "What?" I barked.

"I'm with Bella," Alice told me, succinctly and to the point, "Rose and Carlisle are heading to their nest to patrol. Wolves on alert, Esme with Renee and Charlie."

"Right." I told her and snapped it shut again.

I wanted more than anything to be the one protecting Bella but if I had this chance to end James now I'd take it. I ranged my hearing out around us and picked up Emmett's thoughts a mile and a half to my right, he was coming around as planned, coming at him from the south east, trying to shepherd him towards either Jasper or myself, giving him no choice but to engage one or all of us.

A few seconds later I picked up Jasper. He was running like the wind along the river on the home side waiting for his first glimpse of James so he could cross and pick him off. James was still running for the end of the landmass. He was planning to hit the end of the spit and hit the water; he knew we'd never catch him if he took to the waves. A vampire could swim to Europe without ever needing to surface.

'_Fuck you Cullen's.'_ James said with a matching evil laugh and I heard the mighty splash as he jumped off the bluff and into the ocean.

Fuck.

The three of us met on the bluff a few seconds later. We all stood watching as the dark shadow that was James swam just below the surface out towards the open water. Emmett was itching to follow but we all knew well enough there was no point.

"Fucker." Emmett spat in disgust.

"There's three of them Em, you'll get your chance my brother." I snarled. "That's two of them that's fucked with me. I'll show no mercy now." I hissed.

"You mean you were planning to before, fuck that." Jasper growled.

We all thought the same thing at the same time, we didn't need to say it out loud.

We'd tear those fuckers apart and enjoy doing it.

**BPOV**

With the metal shutter down over the windows I couldn't watch the river or see when they were returning, I was blind for the first time ever. I hated it.

"They're coming back, running, fast. Four minutes." Alice told me bluntly then ran to get her phone. I listened as she dialed my parents house and then Carlisle.

We'd meet in the dining room as normal.

They had to come to the front door to get in so it took a few seconds for Jasper to reach for Alice and for Edward to reach for me, normally they'd all barrel through the backdoor and grab their mates in relief. It felt like an eternity until he had me in his hands, running them over my face, my shoulders, my arms and then my belly, assuring me that he was fine, that I was safe.

I heard a similar scenario being conducted between Jasper and Alice as they each made sure their spouse was in tact.

I felt so bad for Emmett, who was pacing on the front stairs waiting for Rose and Carlisle to come home. When he heard them coming he shot off the steps and I watched as he sprinted to Rose' side and catalogued her limbs and face with his huge hands before sighing in relief and kissing her passionately.

Carlisle looked all of us over in turn, asked me if I was okay and then he went to the stairs to wait for Esme. We all headed inside when her car came up the driveway. Their desperately whispered assurances floated into the house and each couple smiled tenderly at their mate as the same words of love and relief were whispered four times over.

With us all seated the meeting began in earnest.

Edward started us off. "James was watching us from the other side of the river though I didn't pick up his thoughts until he was closer. He watched and waited while we set our plan in place and then he took off running. He was surprised we gave chase, he expected us to retreat and defend here at the house. He had no intention of coming here, from his thoughts he didn't think about the houses location so I don't know if he knows exactly where it is, though he'd have no trouble finding it from our scent paths." Edward ran his hand through his hair and then squeezed my hand, hard.

"He's fast. Really fast. He hit the water at the end of the bluffs and we had no hope from there." Jasper finished.

"By the time Rose and I got to the nest it was empty, so I have no idea where the other two were while James was scouting. Their scents are fresh though, they've been there last night, maybe this morning." Carlisle told us.

"There are no strange scents near your parents house Bella. Nobody but us or the wolves have been there." Esme reported, much to my relief. "You should call your mother when we're done dear, she was quite concerned."

"I will, thank you Esme." I told her. "Edward what did you hear from him?"

"Not a lot. He was just intent on running. He cursed the family name as he jumped so I guess they all know we're part of one family now." He told me. I could read in his mind that James had been taunting him about the baby, and me but he didn't want to tell the others that so I kept quiet too.

"Well, I'll call the pack and see how they faired. Although I'm sure we'd have heard if the other two showed up anywhere near the Rez just now. You did well today boys, lets keep our eyes and ears open." Carlisle shot each of the boys a proud look and they nodded to him in turn.

"Will you have time to meet with us today Carlisle?" Edward asked and I realized he wanted us to have our normal exam. We hadn't done that since before we went to Italy.

"Let me ring the pack then come and see me."

"Thanks." Edward pulled me to my feet and led me to our room.

**EPOV**

"Let me hold you." I begged her as we stood at the foot of our bed. I just needed to feel her, hold her. I lie back on the bed and held my arms out to her and she lowered herself until she was tucked into the crook of my neck. I kissed her hair and began to stroke her shoulder.

"I'm fine Edward, really." She told me in a hoarse whisper.

"I know…I just need a minute Bella." I told her. She kissed my chest and took a fistful of my shirt, holding herself to me tightly. I inhaled her scent and closed my eyes contentedly. I only truly felt whole when she was near me, where I could touch her and smell her. I'd never be at peace until she was out from under this threat. I had to stop it and soon. I'd ask Emmett and Jasper if they were interested in a spot of hunting.

"Forget it Edward, you aren't going looking for trouble from them. Promise me you wont provoke anything." She said sternly and I huffed.

I refused to promise something so idiotic so instead I distracted her with my lips.

An hour later we were both sat in Carlisle's study, Bella in the visitors chair, me on the sofa.

"I've put on more weight over the last two days than I have all the previous week dad." Bella told Carlisle who noted it on her chart.

"It was to be expected Bella. Nathaniel confirmed for us that the baby would grow two thirds faster than any normal human baby would, so that puts you at around 20 weeks if you were still human. That's halfway. I'd expect you to be putting on steady weight now and filling out just as you are." He slid the growth chart across the desk and we both studied it again. This time we weren't scared or bothered by the blue line. We knew what to expect now.

"Can we try an ultrasound Carlisle?" I asked. I'd been researching too and I knew that at around twenty weeks human women went for a scan to make sure that all was well. I also knew that the sex of the baby could sometimes be known then.

"No way Edward, we are not finding out the sex, it's to be a surprise." Bella scolded me.

"Okay, but can we try?" I asked Carlisle again.

"It's worth a try although I have no idea if it will work. I'll set up the appointment for Tuesday." He scribbled that down on the chart and asked if there was anything else we wanted to know or share.

I looked to Bella and we both smiled. "Nope." She answered as casually as she could. Carlisle wasn't at all fooled but said nothing.

"Well then, I'll see you both in the morning." He dismissed us and went back to the huge volume he had open on his desk. _'You'll tell me when you're ready I'm sure Edward.'_ He thought as I left the room.

"Night dad." Bella called as she left the room.

We ran up the stairs and both sunk onto the sofa, eager for a repeat of this afternoon's closeness with our child.

As the first strains of the concerto came out of the stereo I put my lips on Bella's ever growing belly and waited.


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter 51 Xmas, Cullen Style

**BPOV**

I didn't even have time to register Monday; it flew by in a whirlwind of dress fittings and hunting trips. I was getting hungrier and hungrier as the days went on. I was absent of the clawing burn though, thank god. It only reared its ugly head when humans were around. Since not too many humans came near the house I was spared it for good parts of the day. Only the usual deliveryman graced our driveway that Monday.

He bought me the usual brown paper wrapped parcel that contained a tiny, ruby red apple dangling from a little gold link.

Edward's accompanying letter told me it was because I was his forbidden fruit, one he'd taken great pleasure in 'plucking' from the tree. With only 12 days until the wedding his notes were getting more and more elaborate and more and more desperately worded. I knew exactly how he felt.

If there were a way to speed things up I'd have begged Alice to do it before now.

"We aren't changing a thing Bella Swan, I'm watching you." Alice had called angrily from the second floor when I'd had my errant thought about switching up the wedding date.

"If you two leave the yard without telling me where you're going I'll never speak to you again, don't make me tag you." She'd bellowed when Edward had dared to have the thought about eloping again.

So we tried to be patient. We sucked at it, but we tried, sort of.

Tuesday turned out to be a rushed nightmare of a day. Alice and I had to speed to Seattle to collect the portraits I'd had restored for Edward's wedding present then race back and meet him at the hospital for the ultrasound appointment. Luckily Alice drove like a maniac and we got to Carlisle in time.

Alice took the canvasses and the framed prints home to hide them while I stayed with Edward at the hospital. Neither of us held much hope that the ultrasound machine would work on our little bundle of joy, neither did Carlisle and he was right. The machine whirred and hummed along nicely but showed only a black shadow on the screen.

Carlisle told us not to worry, it was only because the membrane around our baby was far thicker, almost impenetrable really, than a human babies capsule and as long as I gained weight steadily things were progressing, as they should, as far as anyone could tell.

We'd left not altogether happy but not really worried either. We knew the baby was fine because he – Edward had taken to calling it a she to balance out my belligerent streak that kept calling it he – or she, kicked up a storm whenever Edward was near me or the music was playing. It was still our secret for now, but the others had caught us with Edward's ear to my belly once or twice and Edward had told me they were beginning to question it a little.

But for now his secret was as safe as our baby was in my belly. A bulging belly it was becoming too. My jeans refused to do up. The waistband was an inch and a half away from being able to be fastened and I was not happy. It was going so fast. Everyday I'd weigh myself and everyday I had something new to write down on that stupid chart in our bathroom. Edward said I looked lovely, adorable; I was just starting to feel ridiculous.

I still doubted the truth in Edward's statement when my charm arrived. The black satin pouch revealed a tiny ruby shoe. I looked at it quizzically while Edward chuckled lightly at my side. "Should I ask?" I wondered out loud.

"Well love, I keep telling you how lovely you look. Read the note." He told me insistently.

I pulled it from its envelope and read it. Pish. He'd given me the little shoe because I was so stylish, so beautiful, and had the longest legs he'd even seen or wanted in his life. I couldn't help the giggle or the rush of desire as I read it. "Eleven days Edward, eleven days." I whispered into his ear as I licked the shell.

The rest of that Tuesday was spent in bed.

**EPOV**

With only two days until Christmas I had a hell of a job getting away from the house to do my shopping that year. I'd ordered a few things online but needed to get into at least Port Angeles for the rest.

Bella had cheated and used her thirst as an excuse and given Alice a list. Of course Alice had loved shopping on Bella's behalf and done it all in record time. She'd have done mine too if I'd asked, Alice never turned down the chance to shop, but there were a couple of things I wanted to do personally.

I on the other hand had a bitch of a time extracting myself from Bella's clutches, and our bed, on the Thursday morning and heading off to shop on my own.

I had heard rumblings about Bella needing some time with Rose anyway, I tried not to listen to what they were up to. It was obviously wedding related because Alice was supervising.

I'd miss out on Bella's charm being delivered that day. I knew what it was though, I had the list memorized. Today she would receive an intricately carved sapphire in the shape of a tiny owl. The letter I'd written to accompany it would tell her that it was a symbol of her wisdom and that I hoped to spend a lifetime learning to love her. I hoped she liked it. After today we'd be into single figures, today was ten days until the wedding.

When I returned from my shopping trip Alice had conveniently taken Bella hunting. I had plenty of time to wrap and hide my gifts before they returned. I also got a chance to call Renee and check that all the details of our trip were confirmed.

Thursday night I spent on the sofa with Bella. It had become our nightly routine. We'd sit with the stereo on softly waiting for our baby to kick. We'd spend hours talking to her – Bella stubbornly refused to concede she may be a girl and insisted on calling her him – and hoping she could hear my voice.

Bella fell asleep in my arms as I cradled her in our bed.

When I was sure she was asleep I crept downstairs to help set up for our coming guests.

We'd have Charlie and Renee with us over the few days of Christmas. They'd come on the evening of Christmas Eve and we'd be having the wolves over that night too for a drink. Christmas day we'd spend with them at our house and we'd try to put on a traditional family Christmas as best we could. Bella was so looking forward to cooking with her mother and Esme that day.

Boxing day we'd spend together too. But it would be a relaxed affair. We'd hang around the house and just be together. The days after that were going to get very, very hectic so it had been agreed that everyone could do as they pleased on Boxing Day, it would be their last chance before the relations descended.

**BPOV**

Christmas Eve was a long, long day for me. I'd put on more weight over the last two days and it was now apparent I was pregnant.

My jeans out and out refused to do up so I had to give them up as a bad joke. Alice rescued me by coming to our room that morning, her arms laden with carrier bags of clothing. My shape was changing fast but she'd anticipated that so each of the bags was marked with a different number.

She handed me a bag marked #1 and she told me this was where we'd start.

I pulled on some jeans that had an elastic waist and tugged on a loose jersey. Both Alice and Edward told me I looked no different than I did any other day, I just felt more comfortable. I could live with that.

I dreaded what was in bag #3. I couldn't bring myself to look.

I helped set up the chairs on the lawn in readiness for tonight's get together. The wolves had been coming and going all day delivering food and drinks in coolers. My parents had arrived, luggage in hand, to stay for a few days so I had settled them into the guest room on the bottom floor.

The deliveryman bought me another charm and another adorable note from Edward. This time the charm was a miniature book.

Esme came to listen as I read the letter. "Dearest Isabella, More beautiful than Juliet, more amazing than Elizabeth Bennet, more loving than Emma and more vibrant than Tess, you are the living embodiment of them all to me. In nine days our love story begins a new chapter, I cannot wait for you to be my wife. All that I have is yours, in love and devotion, Edward xx."

Esme insisted I go and show my mother, citing the note as his best work to date. I was pretty happy with it myself and told him so when I found him in our room trying to hide the parcel that had come for him when mine arrived.

"Please don't peek Isabella, it will ruin the surprise. Promise me?" He asked and I told him I would not look.

Edward took me hunting before the party began so that I could be sure to stave off both my thirst and my ache when the humans arrived with the wolves. We were a little longer than planned – Edward was and always has been the master of distraction - and returned to the yard where the party was in full swing.

At midnight Edward bore me off to bed. He told everyone I was tired, but I was no such thing.

**EPOV**

Emmett and I pushed the Christmas tree down ourselves out in the woods and then we dragged it home. Esme said it was too big by half but we ignored her. This was Bella's first Christmas with us and we were determined to make it a bloody good one. So we stuffed the huge tree into a barrel left over from a bonfire the wolves had had at the Rez and set to decorating it.

We could still hear Charlie snoring and I could hear Bella's even breathing so I knew she was still asleep. I wanted the tree finished before she awoke; it was to be the first of many surprises for her today.

The whole family was keen to make it a memorable day, her first with us but also the first Christmas that our family was truly complete.

The scent of the pine needles bought her to the landing to investigate and also bought out a cry of joy from her as she saw the tree and all it's trimmings for the first time. Emmett positively beamed when she kissed him as a thank you for helping me bring it into the house for her. I'd brag one day about the thank you she gave me later that day when I went to shower and dress for 'dinner'.

While Bella spent her day with her mothers cooking the men in the house spent the day in the living room in various stages of competition.

Jasper and Carlisle were engaged in a monumental game of chess, one that had started 18 years ago and had progressed little ever since. Every time we moved house a sketch of the boards – I say boards, plural, because there were nine of them, three abreast, three down – and they'd all be packed up and set up again according to the sketch.

Every hour or so one of them would begin the trash talk. 'Ha you've moved the wrong piece old man, ho ho you're an idiot, is this your first game little boy, you play like a little old woman, who taught you to play, I'm falling asleep over here you're so boring' etc etc etc. And then Jasper would chime in with his insults.

Emmett had convinced Charlie and I to play the Xbox. It had seemed an innocent request. I assumed he'd asked purely to give us something to wile the hours away but I could tell from his thoughts he was eager to have a crack at the Chief. Emmett hated playing games with me because I could anticipate his moves, removing his stealth. This time he had a plan.

He slid Grid into the Cd tray and asked the Chief how his driving skills were.

"Can't be any harder than driving the Veyron." He mused, pushing the little buttons experimentally on the controller.

That was the beginning of the most vicious, competitive driving race I'd ever been party to. The three of us sat shoulder to shoulder on Esme's sofa for four hours. At one point Renee, Esme and Bella had come in from the kitchen, hands on hips, chastising us for the language.

We'd secured a free pass, for the length of the game only, and had returned to the game safe in the knowledge that we could swear freely.

I lost the very next race when the Chief of Police called me a cocknut. I choked on my laughter and he overtook me and took the checkered flag easily. I considered it cheating, he told me to suck it up buttercup.

Rose and Alice spent the day decorating the house and arranging the gifts under the tree. When we were all called downstairs for 'dinner' a collective gasp was made when we were ushered into the dining room.

**BPOV**

Alice had done such a lovely job on the dining room I couldn't help the gasp of pleasure as I saw it for the first time.

The walls were hung with paper chains and lanterns in gold and green. A pale gold damask tablecloth was covering the huge table and each place was set with Esme's best china and a little embossed gold place card sat on each plate. Dark green and gold napkins sat alongside the plates, each one held tightly with a crimson ribbon, sprigs of holly threaded along them.

The backs of the chairs were draped with gold cloths and held in place with wide gold ribbons.

All the food was in a long line down the centre of the table and wine goblets in various sizes and shapes stood at the head of each setting.

Candles flickered in the two enormous candelabras and the tablecloth was strewn with Christmas roses in bright red.

"Thank you Alice." I told her as I kissed her cheek. She beamed and told everyone to sit.

When I'd thought about this night in the weeks leading up to it I thought I was going to be awkward. Eight vampires who didn't eat and two humans who did. Surely it would look silly and my parents would be uncomfortable eating on their own? But no. As we took our assigned seats – which were really just our normal places when we had meetings, plus Renee and Charlie next to each other on my side of the table – Edward assured me that my parents were happy and very, very pleased to be sharing the evening with us.

Charlie and Carlisle made a ceremony over pouring red wine for everyone and a quick blessing was made over the meal before my parents dug in.

The conversation never faltered as they ate. The vampires relaxed casually as my parents ate their body weight in Christmas fare. Ending in a beautifully lit Christmas pudding complete with brandy custard.

When the meal was finished Esme said she'd like to explain, for mine as well as my parents benefit, now a Cullen Christmas worked.

"Gifts are given to each of us from the family as a whole, we don't exchange gifts in the usual way, with Edward and Alice' abilities its often difficult to keep surprises here. The family buys each of us a gift and it's given to them from Carlisle as head of our coven. That includes you and Renee and Charlie now." She smiled indulgently at us in turn. "Gifts between couples can be given in private or in company, at your own discretion. Lets move to the tree, please bring your glasses." She told us and the ten of us moved into the living room to find a perch.

I will admit to being excited. I was eager to give Edward his presents and I wanted to see my parents faces when they received the presents we'd bought them, from the family. My mother was going to explode and my father…well my father, I might finally get to see him lose his control!

Edward sat on the end of the big white sofa and I sat between his knees on the floor. He was twisting my hair through his fingers idly.

My mother sat beside him, my father beside her.

Jasper sat on the other end of the sofa with Alice on the floor in front of him, closest to the presents of course. She looked fit to burst with excitement.

Rose and Emmett were draped over the ottoman, Rose in Emmett's lap.

Esme sat beside Charlie on the sofa but Carlisle stood under the enormous tree ready to hand out the brightly wrapped gifts.

"Before we begin, a toast. This is our first Christmas with the Swans and it also marks our first Christmas as a complete family. Thank you Bella, for making us all so happy. And thank you to Charlie and Renee for agreeing to be a part of our celebrations. Please raise your glasses, to the Swans."

The toast was echoed around the room as everyone raised their glasses, the fine crystal clinking animatedly. Only the humans partook of their contents, but it was a nice toast. I felt very welcome, very loved.

"Right, before Alice bursts lets begin the presents." He looked to where us three newcomers were sat and told us that he'd been asked to start with the envelope he now held in his hand. Alice nodded her agreement and he handed the envelope to Esme to open. "It says it's for us both, but you can open it my dear." He said fondly.

"It's not usual for you all to buy us something, what are you up to naughty children?" She laughed playfully as she tore the envelope open.

I was excited to see her reaction. Alice had arranged this as a surprise for them both and I couldn't wait to see what they'd say.

"Oh my!" She called loudly as she read the note inside. "Carlisle, listen. To dear mom and dad, On March third a crew will arrive to dig and install your new pool. Contractors will arrive when it's complete to enclose it indoors. We hope you'll enjoy it, with all love from Emmett, Rose, Alice, Jasper, Edward and Bella."

Carlisle's smile said it all. He looked to each of us and said thank you, then he turned to Esme and leaned over the sofa and kissed her deeply. "We're so lucky my dear." He whispered. I don't think my parents heard, but he knew we would.

"Enjoy it!" Emmett boomed.

"Thank you my darlings." Esme looked as if she might cry.

"Me next." Alice trilled earning a laugh from everyone.

"Okay little miss impatient, you can be next. Let me find yours." Carlisle extolled.

He handed her a small box wrapped elaborately with red ribbons and bows. Of course I knew what was in it, the only gifts I had no party to were my own, the family got together to plan and decide on the gifts we'd give each other from the group. She shook the box but there was no movement and no sound. I could tell she was trying hard not to give in to the vision she was having. "Oh!" She exclaimed when it came to her. "Oh my god. Thank you, thank you." She giggled, already well aware of what was in the box. It didn't detract from the excitement for her though as she tore the paper off and retrieved the tickets inside. She held them aloft and waved them at the gathered crowd. "Fashion week in Milan! Thank you so much everyone, thank you thank you thank you." She shrieked. She jumped up and kissed Carlisle soundly on his cheek. "Thank you daddy." She whispered, making Carlisle smile so wide I thought his cheeks would split.

"You are most welcome darling." He told her proudly. "I only have one request, please don't ask me to accompany you." And then he broke into laughter.

I began giggling as my mother started laughing loudly beside me.

**EPOV**

Carlisle was still replaying the second when Alice had called him daddy in his mind as the rest of us recovered from our laughter. It was his favourite time of the year, the gift giving. Everyone called him dad or daddy after they'd received their gift from him, he thought of it as an extension of his gifts today, though he said nothing out loud about it.

"Who will be next, lets see. Who's been naughty this year? Hmmm. Who's been nice this year? No takers? Well then, let's indulge a guest shall we? Charlie, you can be next." Everyone was twittering about whether they could be thought of as naughty or nice this year, personally I thought I'd been naughty, very very naughty. As I thought it Bella tightened her grip on my ankle and I laughed.

Carlisle picked a large rectangular box from the back of the pile and handed it to Charlie. I turned in my seat so I could watch his face as he opened it. I'd been the planner on this gift, I'd argued for it, planned it, ordered it, taken delivery of it and I was literally bouncing out of my seat to see him open it now.

He tore the paper off and stared at the box for a few seconds. It was a life vest. He was pleased with it, he needed a new one for his little aluminum boat that he took fishing with Harry Clearwater and Billy Black, so he was appreciative of the fact we'd bought him something he could use. "Thank you everyone, it's brilliant." He told us and meant it. I had to laugh. He honestly thought we'd given him a hundred dollar life vest. He looked at me questioningly when I laughed and I couldn't resist putting him out of his misery.

"Open the box Charlie, there's more inside." I told him.

"There is?" He asked as he picked open the tape that held the edge of the box shut. He opened one side and took out the life vest and sat it on the floor at his feet. Taped to the lid of the box was an envelope. He tore it off and opened it, letting the shiny key fall into his lap. He looked at me and then at the key.

"Take the card out Charlie." I told him. He was a bit muddled; he didn't know what it meant.

With the card in his hand he began to read. Bella nudged my legs and I knew I had to play my part now. With a last laugh I said, "Oh Charlie, won't you please read it out loud so we can all enjoy it." I did it in my best – or worst – impression of a woman and it earned me a hearty laugh from the entire room.

Charlie had gone sheet white. His heart was racing loudly and his thoughts were murky and disjointed. I hoped he'd be able to read it out.

"Go on Charlie, read it out." I told him, putting a hand on his shoulder and squeezing encouragingly.

"Um, ok. Um, it says. To dear Charlie, We know you love your fishing. Take this key to the marina, go to dock number 27A, you'll find a brand new Bluewater Fairline Targa 44 ST with all the trimmings. Happy fishing Charlie, love from the Cullen's." He held the card in one hand, the key in the other and just stared at them in turn. He looked back up at me and smiled, "Are you shitting me son?"

I erupted into laughter and shook my head. "No Charlie, I'm not shitting you."

"Holy shit Renee, they've bought me a fishing boat!" he shouted.

"I guess that means he likes it." Bella giggled.

"Language people." Esme admonished good-naturedly.

"Sorry Esme." Charlie and I echoed playfully.

Carlisle waited until Charlie had calmed down a little before he looked around and asked who wanted to be next. "Shall we give Emmett his next?" He asked the room and we all agreed that we should.

"Emmett, son, this is from us all. We hope you like it." He handed Emmett a flat wrapped gift no bigger than a sheet of paper.

Emmett wasted no time ripping the outer paper to shreds like the giant child he was. As soon as his eyes took in what the paper said he was on his feet doing a victory dance.

"Yes! Score!" He shouted. "Dudes, this is brilliant. You've outdone yourselves." He whooped.

"Well, tell everyone what you got dumb ass, sorry Esme." Rose chastised.

"Oh yeah, sorry. They've given me a fortnight in Yellowstone Park." He told Bella's parents excitedly. It was obvious from their expressions they had no idea why this would excite the giant child so much so he explained. "I like bears guys, love them actually. Fucker, sorry Esme, nearly killed me once. They've given me two weeks hunting in Yellowstone right at the beginning of bear season. They're cranky and hungry and pissed off, sorry Esme, and I get to eat as many as I want! I've been nice, I've been nice, Emmett's goin huntin, gonna git me a bear or twelve, I've been nice, I've been nice." He sang as he danced from one end of the room to the other as everyone fell about laughing.

'_Please take Jasper this time, don't make me go.' _Rosalie was thinking which cracked me up even more.

**BPOV**

"Esme next, give Esme hers." I called when Carlisle asked who should go next.

Everyone agreed she should be next because they were all eager to see her face when she opened her gift from us. It was a first I'd been led to believe, apparently it had never been attempted before because it couldn't be done till I arrived.

Carlisle pulled the huge flat parcel from behind the tree and stood it at Esme's feet. "My darling." He bowed low and left it in her hands.

From where she was perched on the sofa it was taller than she was. She tore at the paper eagerly and then gasped. Her hand immediately went to her chest, covering her heart as she looked at me. I mirrored her movement and turned to see that Edward had too.

"Oh my god, it's so perfect, I can't believe it. I love it, I love you all so very much, thank you. Oh my." She was babbling happily as she stared at the one meter by one and a half meter portrait of the six of us 'kids'. I'd taken it in the clearing two weeks ago. We'd taken the tripod and my new camera out into the woods and I'd snapped away happily for a while trying to decide where to take the actual portrait. The others ran around happily while I waited for the light to be right, for the right area to find me. Eventually we decided to take it up against what had affectionately been come to be known as the 'misery rock'. Emmett and Rose stood behind it, Edward and I sat on it and Alice and Jasper stood beside us. With the backdrop of the trees behind us it made for a striking shot. It wasn't posed exactly but it wasn't casual either. It was natural. Emmett had his arm around Rosie's shoulder as he always did in life. His dimples were easily visible and Rose looked as lovely as ever with her hair falling in soft waves around her shoulders.

Alice and Jasper stood with their fingers intertwined as they always did. Not openly affectionate but their connection distinct. Alice smiled sweetly and Jasper grinned his southern gentleman smirk with aplomb.

I'd studied Edward's face in this picture for many hours since I'd taken it. He looked somehow different than he did in all the other shots I'd taken since he'd bought me my camera. In this picture he looked as though he fit. There weren't many pictures containing all the Cullen's and what few there were Edward looked separate. As though he really was the odd man out. In this picture he was as much a part of the group as any of the others. His smile was warm, genuine, beautifully crooked. His eyes smiled too, his arm wrapped around my waist, just the tips of his fingers visible at my side. His other hand lovingly splayed across my belly. I had one hand just lying in my lap, the other lay across his. I remember telling the others to call out 'masturbate' just as the shutter closed to take the picture. Everyone was smiling widely and it was perfect, utterly perfect.

I'd had it framed in a dark teak frame with non-reflective glass that would preserve the image for a long, long time. Possibly not forever, but pretty close I hoped.

"There's an IOU engraved on the back Esme, I'll take another when the baby's born." I whispered to her and she beamed at me and nodded.

"Thank you Bella." She sat gazing at the portrait and sat back against the sofa, bringing it onto her lap. "I can't believe it. We've never had it done before because you weren't here. And now you are. And we're complete. Thank you all so much. I love you all." She whispered, caught up in her moment staring at our picture. It had seemed such a simple gift. We'd all worried at its appropriateness. We'd spent a fortune on most of the gifts but this had cost almost nothing, just the frame and the printing. We all struggled to decide whether it was enough. But watching Esme now, we all knew. It was perfect.

**EPOV**

"Jasper next!" Emmett bellowed. Carlisle took another envelope – so many of our gifts this year were encased in plain envelopes, tangible gifts were impossible – and handed it reverently to Jasper.

"You were tough this year son." He told him affectionately.

"Thank you." Jasper made an extra effort to be gracious as he took the envelope from Carlisle. He could sometimes still feel a little like an outsider despite having been with us for the last fifty years. He still felt like the new boy, not always, but sometimes. It seemed today was one of those days.

He tore it open and I watched him mouth the words written on the silver card inside. "Incredible." He mumbled. He stood and enveloped Carlisle in a tight embrace, complete with boyish fist bump. He turned to the assembled crowd and read from the card. "This card entitles the bearer to one week at the Historic Liendo Plantation in Hempstead, Texas. Your battle begins at 2pm sharp on Friday evening (Uniform supplied). You are invited to attend the exhibitions, training camps, artillery and cavalry demonstrations, fashion show and bounty hunt. Accommodations in the Plantation house include all meals and a dance on the Saturday evening. Hosted by the 11th Texas Cavalry." His eyes were dancing with pleasure as he read it out loud for us. "I can't believe it. Thank you all so much, I truly appreciate the thought." He put the card back in its envelope and bowed lowly in front of Alice, where she sat on the floor. He reached out a hand for her and kissed hers when she put it in his. "Would you do me the honor of accompanying me into battle, ma'am." He drawled lazily, smiling down at her.

"It'd be my pleasure, sir." She whispered in reply. He bent to kiss her lightly on her cheek and then returned to his seat with a reverent pat to his pocket that now held his gift.

"I'd like to give Renee her gift now, but it requires a little bit of explanation. Edward, would you do the honors?" Carlisle asked of me.

"I'd be delighted." I turned to Renee and waited while Carlisle handed her yet another envelope. "Open it, please." I gestured towards it and she tentatively slid a finger inside it. With the letter in her hand I gave her a moment to read over it.

"It's a title deed. What's it for?" She asked. Her heart was racing now. She had no idea what we'd done, but it wasn't everyday you were given the deed to something. She knew it was big.

"Charlie, would you like to give Renee your gift first?" I asked him and he nodded shyly.

He pulled a small pale blue box from his coat pocket and stood from his seat on the sofa. He knelt in front of Renee and held the box out to her. "It's not what you think it is Renee." He chuckled lightly. "But it means much the same thing to me. I'm so glad you're here with me, with Bella and me. Edward here gave me this idea actually. He gave Bella a promise ring; I'd like to give one to you. Renee, even after Bella doesn't need us and she is married with a family of her own I'd like you to stay here, in Forks, with me. Will you?" His voice was trembling almost as much as his hand was as he held out the box for her.

Renee reached out and took the box and then she flung herself out of her seat, knocking Charlie backwards, she threw her arms around him and covered his face with kisses. Bella looked away but I could see the smile on her face.

"Yes Charlie, I'll stay here, in Forks, with you." Renee whispered then kissed him firmly on the lips.

"Okay woman, let me up." Charlie grumbled.

Renee sat back in her seat and pushed the gold band with its row of tiny diamonds onto the ring finger on her left hand. I noticed it was now bereft of her wedding rings from Phil. She took the title deed and stared at it again.

"Okay, now that you've agreed to stay in Forks that will make much more sense to you." I nodded at the paper but she was still confused. "Bella had told us that you were a daycare teacher in Phoenix and that you missed it and all the little children. Our friend Sue Clearwater is also a daycare teacher but hasn't had the chance to get back into the workforce since her children have grown. With Seth almost finished school she was eager to try. That is the title deed to the property at 5th and Union, it used to be a kindergarten. In the New Year it will be remodeled into a daycare centre. It's yours Renee."

"Holy shit!" she exclaimed.

"Ahem." Esme clucked.

"Sorry Esme." Renee chortled and we all cracked up.


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52 Xmas, Swan Style

**BPOV**

"Okay, enough with gushing women, Edward, do Carlisle's next." I nudged him on his shins and he jumped up and took over the master of ceremonies role from Carlisle for a moment.

"Have a seat dad." Edward gestured to his now vacant seat and I scooted along the floor so I could watch him open his gift from front on.

Edward took the large square box off the floor and put it in front of Carlisle's knees. "Hope you like it." He said, a cheeky grin on his face.

Carlisle slowly unwrapped the box, much too slowly for Alice' liking, she huffed and whined through the whole ordeal. Finally he had the lid of the box open and he pulled out a full-length khaki jumpsuit. He pulled it to him and studied the badges and tags that were sewn onto the front of it. "It's very nice." He said, confused.

Edward was laughing softly and the others were all twittering because they knew the joke, he did not.

"It's a flight suit Carlisle." Jasper told him.

As the information sunk in Carlisle began scratching around in the box. He'd been through this routine enough times to know there was more to this gift than just the initial object. He pulled the envelope out of the bottom of the box and began to read it aloud, without waiting to be prompted. That's why he was head of the coven I giggled.

"The bearer of this certificate is to present himself to Phoenix Airbase, February 21 to begin Air Combat Training. You will be instructed, over five days, on air combat controls, a full three-day air combat mission scenario including defensive, offensive and neutral air combat tactics. Your aircraft will be the Mig 29." He reread the card again and then smiled broadly at us all. "I think I liked Renee's reaction the best. Holy shit! Sorry Esme."

We all called for him to stand up and show us the suit properly, something he did readily and with great pride. He'd look good in it too. My mother was ogling him appreciatively, I wanted to thump her and pull her out of her catatonia but I figured I'd let her ogle, he was pretty hot.

Carlisle looked to Esme and she winked at him. Something told me they'd get a lot more use out of that flight suit than for just the eight days of his trip!

**EPOV**

I relinquished my MC duties to Carlisle once again.

"Not many left now, seeing as both Edward and Bella's gifts are outside that only leaves you Rosie sweetheart."

I had no idea that my gift was outside, I knew Bella's was, but I'd not had an inkling of my own. They'd all done very well hiding it from me this year. I conceded there was a lot going on around us; it wouldn't have been hard to hide the thought from me this year. It was nice to have an actual surprise for once.

Carlisle handed Rosalie yet another envelope, this one a large A4 sized one. It had a bright blue bow on the front, which she promptly ignored and tore it open. "Jesus." She whispered as she read the sheaf of papers. "Really?" She looked around the room at all the nodding faces. "Wow." It was the most animated I'd seen her for quite a while.

"Come on, spill." Emmett growled. He knew what it was but everyone had to read his or her papers out loud at Christmas.

"All right, give me a second, jeez. To dear Rosalie, After seeing your work we decided to get you something more permanent to play with. Enclosed is a share certificate. You are now the co-owner of Sam's Garage and Automotive Body Shop, Forks Washington. You are expected at work Monday January 10th at 8am sharp. P.s Sam owns 51%, you'll answer to him, play nice." She laughed so loudly Renee had to cover her ears with her hands to block it out!

"What do you think Rosie?" Emmett asked hesitantly. The gift had been his idea and he'd thought it was a good one all the way along, right up until the point where we all realized that Rose was going to have to answer to Sam. Then, well, lets just say that we were all holding a collective breath until Rose said she would do it.

"I think it's the best present I've been given since I found out I was going to be an aunt!" And with that she lunged at Emmett and took him clean off the ottoman with her. They came to a crashing stop at the base of the Christmas tree, which wobbled ominously in its barrel. Everyone looked away and made small talk while the couple expressed their delight at the gift in an animated and slightly sick making way for a few seconds.

Eventually Rose surfaced and stood in the middle of the room with the stack of papers in her hand. "I love it, great idea, it'll give me a goal and it will be a challenge to play nice. Thanks so much, I love you all." And then she plonked back down onto the ottoman as if she'd never moved.

"Right, well. That concludes the indoor presents. Renee, Charlie, would you like to get your coats and come outside for the last two?" Carlisle asked.

While everyone was gawking at their gifts or talking I pulled Bella into the dining room and pushed her up against the adjoining wall. _'You're so fucking beautiful. I want you so badly. I want you for Christmas.' _I told her silently as I assaulted her mouth with mine.

She had only just begun to kiss me back properly when Emmett began yelling from the front door. "If you don't put my sister down right now Eddie I'll open your present for you."

I let Bella go, reluctantly, very reluctantly and pulled her hand into mine as we headed out the door. "Don't call me Eddie." I growled playfully at him as I came to the foot of the stairs.

"Hope you like it." Bella whispered as she kissed me on the cheek and pulled her hand out of mine. She walked away and went to stand beside her mother. I knew my mouth was hanging open but I couldn't help it.

In the driveway stood a brand new BMW Z4. It was a shiny chrome color, not silver though, chrome. So highly polished it looked like it was made of a silver mirror backing. It had an enormous red ribbon that stretched from its back end to the hood. Now, I loved my Veyron, I adored it. But this was, this was …shit…this was, well it was magnificent.

Bella giggled which snapped me out of my reverie momentarily. I took a step forward and ran a hand over its top, down the door strut to the curve of the hood. A momentary flash of Bella sprawled out along it shot through my mind before I had time to curb it and I heard Bella hiss over her teeth as she read the thought in my mind. I turned and flashed her a smug grin. She winked.

"It's…and it's for me?" I asked, turning to look at the faces that curved in an arc around the car. They were all nodding. "It's fantastic. Thank you all so much. It's…I don't know what to say…" I really didn't either. "It's more than I deserve. I have the others, you didn't need to do this for me." I told them truthfully. I had the Aston, the Veyron and the Guardian and I'd only just gotten rid of the Volvo, so I was in no desperate need for another car, but that didn't mean I didn't want it. Oh I wanted this car, desperately. I'd seen one on the road coming back from Port Angeles the night I'd taken Bella to the gallery and I'd coveted one ever since. Oh, Bella did this. She'd read me that night, she did this.

"Yeah." She whispered softly, having read that in my head just now. I flew to where she stood, wrapped my arms around her and kissed her soundly.

'_Thank you baby. There is only one thing it's missing.' _I was chuckling in my head as I told her that, she pulled away from me and looked at me questioningly. '_You're going to be my hood ornament.' _

I let her go and left her standing beside her parents with her mouth agape, her lips in a little o shape.

**BPOV**

Jesus, how was I supposed to just stand here and act naturally after that?

If the baby weren't already doing flip-flops in my tummy I'd be feeling the butterflies as they twisted and turned with desire for him.

He was right, I had heard his thoughts when we'd passed this car on the highway that night. He'd loved the look of it, even though that one had been black. He'd run over its specs in his head as he followed it for a few miles then he'd recited its speed and handling information as we passed it. He wanted this car. I'd known it then and I knew it now as he got into the drivers seat and revved it.

My father was in the passenger seat clucking his tongue about how much the speeding tickets were going to cost in this car.

Emmett and Jasper begged for a turn to sit in it so pretty soon they were fighting with Rose to see who could sucker Edward into letting them have the first drive. Once he'd driven it for himself of course.

It was a testament to my persuasiveness that he knew nothing about this car. I'd kept him 'busy' when it had been delivered this morning and I'd kept him busy again this evening while Rose had driven it around to the front of the house and put it's ribbon on.

Edward flew out of the drivers seat, grabbed me by the waist, flung me around in a circle twice, kissed me firmly on the lips and told me he'd make a lap with each passenger and then we'd give me my gift. All I could do was giggle.

One at time they went out the driveway to the corner, turned right, right again, right again and then back into the drive. Charlie was tutting and muttering about how fast he'd probably need to drive to get through each lap so quickly but after he'd come back from his turn he was strangely quiet. A sort of sparkly, distant, slightly impressed look to his face. He said nothing.

With a last spray of gravel Edward parked the car at my feet and pulled me to him. "I love it, thank you all." And with that he took my lips with his, again. '_I'll show you privately how much I love it.'_ He told me and I shivered.

"Right, if you'd all come this way we'll give Bella her gift, shall we?" Carlisle announced.

We all filed into the now empty garage. All the cars were parked in a neat row at the front of the garage, the wide door open. I didn't see anything inside, it was just empty. Edward steered me to the centre of the garage space and turned me to face the sidewall. "In you go." He said.

"Go where?" I asked.

"Through that door Bella." He chuckled and nodded towards the door to the side of the garage. I assumed it was just a door that led back outside. Sort of like if you didn't want to open the entire garage door you just used the side door.

I went to it and turned the handle. It was dark inside so I reached for a light switch. There wasn't one. I stuck my head back out.

"No light?" I asked. They were all shaking their heads so I went inside anyway. I could see okay, I didn't really need the light that much. It took a few seconds to register what I was looking at, but when I did I gasped in shock. "Holy shit!" I yelled.

It was a darkroom. Where the door opened back on itself had hidden a deep metal trough with taps and containers lined up on a little shelf above it. Opposite that was a wide bench area with drying containers and a peg line for drying proofs and prints. At the far end of the room was a built in desk area, set back into a little recess in the wall. Complete with a slide out chair there was space for my laptop and a huge laser printer sat squarely on the surface. Overhead shelves held ream after ream of photo paper and boxes of ink. A lower shelf held software in neat little cases. I read the spines of a few and found they were photo editing suites. All kinds. Some for black and whites, some for people, some for scenery some for turning photos into other things like magnets and calendars and gifts. Everything was there. Scissors, tongs, pens and pencils. A thermometer hung on a cord from the side of the door; there was a light box and frames for proofing, towels trays and a timer clock.

I couldn't believe it. I could process and print my own work, at home, without having to drive to Seattle!

I went back out into the garage and threw myself at Carlisle. "Thank you so much daddy." I found Esme and hugged her tightly, "I love you so much, thank you for giving me a piece of your home." Next was Edward, who'd managed to keep this a secret. I knew how hard that was for him. "Thank you. I love you so much, it's perfect." I told him as I kissed him.

"Well, then, it sounds like she likes it." Carlisle concluded.

**EPOV**

Bella positively glowed. Now she'd be able to work from home, never having to worry about the baby. I'd be able to relax knowing she didn't have the long drive to and from Seattle or Port Angeles to print what she wanted. She'd be able to stay here and do as she pleased.

I wanted so much to take Bella up to bed now, but there was one more family ritual that I knew I'd not be allowed to miss. Carlisle shepherded us all back into the living room and we all took up our seats once again. This time Bella took centre stage, this was her idea. Sort of.

Last week we'd all woken to a note passed under our bedroom doors.

The Swan family had a tradition at Christmas too and Bella wanted us to be a part of it. I had been assigned Emmett, the note said. My name and his had been drawn from a hat in accordance with the rules, whatever they were. I wasn't privy to these rules.

I was told I could spend what I liked but the gift had to be a joke and it had to be relevant to that person. It had to mean something to them. I wasn't allowed to do or provide anything illegal, in deference to Charlie being the law, and I wasn't allowed to do anything nasty, hurtful or crude. That narrowed the fucking list I can tell you!

I knew that the others had been given the same instructions and had been assigned their receiver. I'd wracked my brain for a week to find something for the big lug and had eventually found it in a shop in Port Angeles two days ago. Up until then I'd had no clue what to get him. But I was happy with my choice now.

"So, everyone has bought their gift I hope? Now, you can hand your gift to who you drew or you can put it on the table and we'll do it anonymously, which do you prefer?" She asked with a smile.

"I'm okay with them knowing." I told her honestly. The others all agreed. It would be more fun if you knew who'd bought you what and why.

"Okay then. To be fair we always do it alphabetically. So that makes Alice first. Who drew Alice?"

Renee raised her hand and handed over a square parcel wrapped in bright red paper. Alice tore at it excitedly. Then she laughed her head off. "It's a ouija board set! Oh Renee it's fantastic. Listen to the card. 'So you don't miss anything, hope it helps.' Thanks Renee, I love it!"

"You're next Bell's." Charlie announced because Bella started with a B. "Who drew Bella?"

Emmett raised his hand and Bella groaned, loudly. Emmett tossed her a flat pack wrapped in tissue paper. She tore the ribbons off then eyed Emmett warily as she pulled the paper away. Then she laughed like Alice had. "Oh god Em, that's priceless, what a cack. Look, it's a pack of necktie napkins. The card says, 'While you're newborn the hunt can get a bit messy, hope these help.' They're brilliant Em, thanks." She ran and hugged him tightly. Everyone was still laughing as she put one around her neck. They were made out of the usual disposable napkin paper but they had large neckties printed on them. So when you tucked it into the top of your shirt it looked like you were wearing a rather formally tied tie. What a classic. Trust Emmett to find something so funny.

"You're next Carlisle. Who drew dad?" Bella asked. Rose raised her hand and passed a small box over to him.

He opened it and stared into the box in shock. "Oh god Rose. Where in gods name did you find this?" He said. Out of the box came a little desktop stationery set. But this was no ordinary desktop stationery set. This was a little plastic toilet with a little plastic man sitting on it. In his hands he held a roll of tape that was designed to look like a roll of toilet paper. The cistern part of the toilet was a note pad and penholder.

"Lift him off his throne Carlisle." Rose called.

Carlisle pulled the little man off the seat and clinging to his ass were half a dozen paperclips!

You'd be forgiven for thinking something horrible had happened because the noise of the laughter was shockingly loud as Carlisle made his little man pick up paperclips one after the other, to louder and louder catcalls.

"I'm going to take this and put it on my desk at work." Carlisle said proudly. "It's fantastic Rosie, thanks sweetheart." He beamed at her and she was very pleased that she'd given him a laugh.

'That will be hard to top. You're next dad, who drew Charlie?" she asked as Jasper raised a tentative hand. "Why do you look worried Jaz?" She giggled.

"You don't have your gun with you do you Chief?" Jasper asked with a chuckle as he passed Charlie a gift wrapped in bright blue paper.

"No son, it's at home. But I can ring for reinforcements if I need to." Charlie joked. Out of that little box came a metal tin. On the side of it was a printed picture of bacon. "Oh fuck me dead." Charlie crowed as he spun the tin in his hands. "Oh shit, sorry Esme." I don't know what cracked us up more, Charlie swearing like he did or that he too felt he should say sorry to Esme. Either way we all erupted. "It's a tin of Bacon Band-Aids. The card says, 'For the law enforcement official who has everything, Bacon Band-Aids. When there just isn't enough pork in your day.' Thanks Jasper, I'll be sure to think of you when I use them at work!" He leaned over and cuffed Jasper on the shoulder playfully.

"You're welcome, sir." Jasper said, very, very relieved that he'd not offended Bella's father. "Also, they not only look like a real rasher of bacon, they smell like one too!" he added for good measure which set everyone off again.

**BPOV**

They all seemed to be enjoying our little family game. We did it every year, but with only a couple of us it was never this much fun. The Cullen's all had a wicked sense of humor and I could tell that my parents were enjoying themselves a lot.

My beautiful boy was next. "Who drew Edward?" I asked excitedly. Edward groaned when my dad raised his hand.

'_Shit.' _Edward exclaimed in his head and I couldn't help laughing out loud. For all his bravado he was shit scared of my dad. It was rather cute really.

Charlie handed Edward an envelope with an evil grin. "Hope you make good use of it, son." My dad clapped him on the back then sat back to watch him open it.

Edward's laugh echoed around the room as he read the certificate in his hand. "Wicked Charlie, that's wicked. It's a gift certificate for defensive driving lessons. The card's a hoot, listen. 'Every family has one lunatic driver, yours has several. This year you get this, next year one of the others will. I'll be checking you used it, Chief Charlie Swan, Officer in charge, Forks Police Department."

Edward shook Charlie's hand and laughed out loud with everyone else. "It's brilliant Charlie, thanks so much. I'll look forward to terrorizing the instructor." Edward chuckled.

"Hey, old Tom Rogers is a real good guy, he'll have a heart attack if you drive like you did with me." Charlie laughed.

Edward shrugged as if he didn't care and tucked the gift certificate into his pocket. "I drew Emmett, he's next." Edward said before I had a chance to ask. I could tell he was eager to give Emmett his gift and I knew he'd put a lot of thought into it.

A rectangular box was passed down the sofa until it rested in Emmett's huge hands. He shook the box but no sound came from it. He sniffed it then put his ear to it. "Just checking it's not an explosive device, you gotta watch Eddie." He chuckled.

"Don't call me Eddie asswipe. Sorry Esme." Edward hissed.

Emmett tore off the paper and held out a pair of what looked like dirty, used y-fronts. Almost everyone screwed up his or her faces in disgust. I looked to Edward and was about to ask 'what the fuck' when Emmett began howling with laughter. "Oh jeez Ed, that's fucking fantastic. Sorry Esme. But shit, I've never seen anything like this, what a classic. Thanks bro." He was laughing so hard half of what he said sort of slurred out the side of his mouth.

"What the hell Em?" Rose asked, pointing at the undies cautiously.

"It's a dirty underwear safe Rosie. For when I'm traveling. Look." He held them out in front of himself and unzipped the y-front part to reveal a little hidey-hole. "When you're traveling you put your money and valuables in there and then you zip them shut. You put them back in your suitcase. Aint nobody gonna go looking through the front of dirty jocks to find your goodies are they?" That set the whole room to laughing as we all got the joke.

Charlie clapped Edward on the back and told him it was inspired. Calls of 'hard to top', 'blood smart ass' and 'what the hell was the guy who invented those thinking' shot around the room as everyone had a look at Emmett's new toy.

"Esme's next, I drew you Esme." I told her and plonked a long, flat box into her lap.

"Um, thank you." She said, a little nervous after watching everyone else unwrap his or her novelty gifts. She slid the bright pink bow off the box and opened it to reveal a naughty nurses costume.

"Thanks Bella!" Carlisle yelled from beside his wife.

That set all the ladies to giggling. Esme just stared up at me. "Good god." She whispered. "It's very cheeky. Look, it's even got a stethoscope. Not necessary for us but I could use it to tether you to…oh, oops…" and that started everyone to laughing. "Thanks Bella dear." She managed to squeak out between giggles.

The loudest laugh was Carlisle, but nothing could eclipse the smile on Esme's face. She winked at me as I was about to ask for the next gift giver.

"Jasper's next, who drew Jaz?" I asked. Carlisle raised his hand and threw a small parcel to his son who was perched on the floor with Alice between his knees.

He tore open the package to reveal a bright, neon green thumb wrestling ring. It was an exact replica of a real ring complete with guide ropes, side skirts and the WWE logo stamped in the centre. It had two small holes where you poked your thumbs through. The loud peal of a bell would sound for round one as he flicked the tiny metal button underneath. "Brilliant Carlisle. If Shrek here can fit his thumb through it we'll have a monumental Thumb Wrestling World Championship bout." He nodded towards Emmett who looked offended at being likened to a giant ogre but shrugged when he realized he did have enormous thumbs.

We watched as the two of them fought for a few minutes before it descended into an all out brawl as Emmett dived off the ottoman and launched himself at Jasper. It took Esme threatening to ground them from the Xbox before they broke apart and sat back down.

"Mom, you're next. Who drew Renee?" I asked as the boys took their seats.

"I did." Sang Esme happily. She passed a small box to Renee and we all heard the clink of metal as Renee shook it carefully.

"Hmm, definitely metal." Renee said as she undid the ribbon and slid off the paper. "Oh god, Esme, you shocker!" she gasped as she pulled from the box a pair of fur lined handcuffs. "There's a card. 'What good is having the law on your side if you can't exploit it.' Thanks Esme, I'll put them to good use." And with that she jangled them in front of my dad's face, which was now puce.

Loud calls of 'way to go Renee' and 'take him down officer' rang around the room as we all laughed in unison.

Who knew Esme had it in her?

That only left Rose, which meant Alice had bought for her. I'd been eager to see this one, I didn't quite know what sort of sense of humour either girl had. This would show me.

"Alice, you have Rose, right?" I asked and Alice tossed a small parcel to her sister that landed daintily in her lap.

Rose shook it and sniffed as Emmett had done with his, but noted nothing significant. She said it felt heavy but other than that she had no idea what it could be. Once she'd discarded the paper she began laughing, loudly.

"Oh god, you witch." She laughed at Alice who was beaming at her sister fondly.

Rose took what looked like an ordinary construction workers measuring tape out of the little cardboard box. She held it out so we could all see it, then she read from the box. "The Dumb Blonde Measuring Tape. The card says, 'When the blonde in your life needs a little help, this is sure to suffice.'" She pulled the tape out and started laughing again.

There were no numbers on it at all. At the one foot mark there was the picture of a single foot, at a foot and a half there was a foot and a half drawn, at two feet there were two feet etc. Rose was laughing hysterically and hugging Alice to her tightly.

"I love it little sister." Rose crowed and kissed Alice resoundingly on her cheek. Alice wiped it off with a grimace but anyone who was watching could see the love between them, even if one was picking on the other with a gag gift.

I went and sat back down between Edward's knees as everyone began to play with their respective gifts. I read over the gift certificate Edward had gotten from my dad and I ribbed him good naturedly about needing to do the course before I'd let him take our baby in a car.

My dad was busy trying to undo the handcuffs my mother had put around one of his wrists and Esme already had her nurses hat perched on the crown of her head. Carlisle was watching her lasciviously, a giant smirk on his face, his desk set sitting on his knees.

Alice was pushing the little upturned glass around the outside of her ouija board and making grandiose predictions in a fake clairvoyants voice.

Jasper and Emmett were thumb wrestling, of course. Rose was trying to referee but the boys were cheating, as always.

I looked around the room at all the people I loved, they were all here, all having the time of their lives. As Edward bent down to kiss me I had only one wish, that Seth was having a nice Christmas too.

**EPOV**

"I'm going to take my fiancé up to our room to exchange our personal gifts. We'll see you all tomorrow. Good night everyone, thank you for all the gifts." I waited until Bella had kissed everyone goodnight and then I took her hand and led her up to our room.

I pulled her down next to me on the sofa and kissed her soundly. "I love you beautiful girl, thank you for all you did for me today."

"You are most welcome. It's so hard to keep a secret from you!" She teased.

"I have something for you, would you like it now?" I asked tentatively. After the enormous and more than generous gifts we'd been given from the family sometimes our more personal gifts could seem slightly lacking. I'd waited a long time to give her these though, and I was eager to see her wear them.

"You didn't need to get me anything else Edward." She huffed. "But yes, I'd like it now." She giggled.

I took her hand and kissed her fingers, "Then you shall have it now." I told her.

I went into my closet and drew out the two parcels I had hidden there. I put them into her lap. "With the wedding so close it was hard to choose something to give you now, something that I wasn't already planning to give you on our wedding day."

She put the presents on the coffee table in front of us and went to her beside table and drew out two wrapped parcels herself. When she came back to the sofa she put them both in my lap. "I'm the same. I had an awful time trying to think of something for now and then something original for the wedding."

It seemed we were both in a tight spot. "Lets open the first one at the same time." I suggested and she smiled in agreement. I counted us down, from three to one, and then we both ripped the paper off the first of our gifts.

I held in my hand a leather bound book. It had my initials stamped in it the same way my satchel did. E.A.M.C in gold embossing stood out from the front cover. I opened it and it was filled with blank music grids. Page after page of possibilities. "Thank you Isabella, it's perfect." I told her with a kiss to her temple.

I looked over to where she held the pair of sapphire earrings between her fingers. "They're gorgeous Edward, thank you." She whispered.

As she hung them from her ears I told her they had been my mothers and I wanted her to have them and wear them as her something blue on our wedding day, as my mother would've wanted for her future daughter-in-law. Bella told me she'd be honored to wear them and kissed me soundly.

"Let's open the other one the same way." She suggested this time. She counted us down and after she'd counted down to one I held in my hand a letter.

It was a letter telling me I had time. Recording time. A booth had been reserved for me at the Seattle School of Music recording rooms. I had six hours of recording time to use to put my music onto disc. "Isabella." I whispered, stunned. "Thank you." I didn't know what else to say other than thank you. She'd stunned me. I'd never thought of doing it, never thought to see if it was possible. But she'd known, she'd found out, she'd done this, for me. "I love you." I told her quietly.

"I love you too Edward." She replied, looking down at the children's atlas she'd just unwrapped.

"Read the inscription on the front page my love." I told her by way of explaining the strange gift.

"For Isabella, I've colored in Italy. Point to where you wish to explore next and I will make it happen. You are my world, Edward." She ran her hand over my signature at the bottom of the inscription and then threw her arms around me. "Thank you Edward. But I want to start in Italy, again. As soon as we're able, will you take me back and explore it with me again?" She asked. As if I could deny her this.

"That inscription is an IOU Bella, I meant every word of it. You point to where you want to go and I will take you. Anywhere. But Italy is a damn fine start my love."

I carried her to our bed after that. With one last pat to her belly I showed her just how much I loved her that night.


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 53 The Gift of Responsibility

**BPOV**

I wasn't sure what time the others went to bed on Christmas night but Edward and I had watched the dawn break from the clearing. He'd bought me out to hunt sometime in the wee hours of the night and we'd stayed to watch the sun come up over the water.

We walked home, hand in hand, and found them all sitting on the back decking. They sat in pairs, with their mates, my parents sipping cups of hot coffee.

"Good morning you two, been hunting?" Carlisle asked.

"Yeah." Edward answered lazily, pulling me down onto his lap in the deck chair.

"I like your earrings Bella." Alice whistled lowly as I pulled my hair back off my neck and showed her properly.

"They were Edward's mothers. They're my something blue for the wedding."

"They're lovely. Look what Jazzy bought me." Alice held out her wrist and showed me the Pandora bracelet that dangled from it. "I got a little holly charm last night look." She held her hand out and I fingered the tiny green and gold charm. "He says he'll buy me other charms of significance like Edward does for you."

"It's gorgeous Alice. Nicely done big brother." I told them. Jasper tipped his imaginary hat to me and Alice smiled sweetly.

We sat in silence for quite a while before Esme and Carlisle excused themselves and went back to their suite. I hoped they weren't going to try out the nurses uniform. I was careful not to range my hearing in their direction too much.

My parents were next to go inside. My mother said she needed a lie down because they'd been up so late the night before. My father said he'd help. He knew that made no sense, but followed her anyway. A sly grin on his face.

**EPOV**

I wanted to be away from the house, now. With Carlisle and Esme ensconced in their suite and now Charlie and Renee gone off to do exactly the same thing it wouldn't be long before the other two couples retreated to their own spaces to, um, be alone.

I didn't want to hear them and I certainly didn't want the added cringe making bonus of being able to read their thoughts and intentions as they did whatever it was they hid themselves away to do. I certainly didn't want to hear it from my soon to be parents-in-law. Aargh.

I shifted Bella on my lap slightly and pulled my cell phone out. I dialed the Rez and got Sam.

"Hey Sam. Merry Christmas to you all." I told him.

"Hey Edward. Merry Christmas to you guys too. What's happening out your way?" He asked, as I hoped he would.

"Bella and I thought we might head over towards you guys, you up for some visitors?" I asked. I held my breath and hoped he'd say yes.

"Sure, sure. Come on down. We're all just sitting around. I know Seth wants to see Bella and we'd sure like to see this new car of yours." He laughed down the line.

"Oh, you knew about that huh?" I shot a look at Bella who just smiled innocently. "We're leaving now, see you in ten minutes." I closed the phone and put Bella over my shoulder. She squealed all the way up to our room.

"Grab your things, we're going to the Rez." I knew she had a gift for Seth so I waited for her to collect it. I rummaged through my closet until I had the three envelopes I needed and then I put them in the back pocket of my jeans.

Seth met us at the entrance to the Reservation and then he showed us to Sam's house. It was a large gathering but a quiet one.

"Did you guys have a big night?" Bella asked and Seth chuckled.

"Yeah, you could say that. We have a bonfire and sit all night talking and telling legends and stories. We haven't slept yet. Doesn't bother us furry brothers, but the humans are fading fast." He chuckled again as we went into the tiny living room and saw three bodies sleeping soundly on the various sofas and chairs.

He led us through the house and past Emily, whom Bella stopped to kiss lightly on the cheek saying how nice it was that she was hosting us as well as the entire Rez. There were bodies strewn across the entire backyard when we finally got out there. Some in chairs, some sitting on cut logs and some just lying in the grass. All in various states of sobriety and coherence.

Sam raised a fist over his head from where he sat on his log and I bumped it on the way past. Bella said hello and with a last squeeze of my hand she allowed Seth to usher her to a small grouping of empty chairs towards the side of the yard. They were already deep in conversation by the time they sat. I ignored Seth's thoughts as best I could and let them exchange their gifts in privacy.

I took a seat next to Sam and asked how his Christmas had been.

"Busy. I think we'll sleep for a week at this rate." He gestured to the snoring forms of Jared and Paul where they were lying in the grass. "Amateurs." He laughed. "How did you guys go?"

"It was fantastic. We had Charlie and Renee with us this time. Brilliant day." I told him.

"How did Rose react to her present? Have I got a new partner or what?" He asked, sitting up straighter. He was eager to hear the news. He liked Rose and respected the knowledge she'd bring to the business.

"While I think you're nuts for wanting her to work with you she's so excited she won't shut up about it." I laughed and Sam rolled his eyes. "Just remember, none of us have had an actual job, besides Carlisle, so she might take a while to settle in."

"Sure, sure. From what I've seen of her she knows her stuff, that's all I care about. How did Bella fare with her parents with you this whole time?" he asked. I could tell he had many reasons for asking. He was being friendly for one and for two he was being an Alpha. He wanted to make doubly sure that the humans in and around the reservation were safe from her.

"Perfect. She was perfect Sam." I threw him a smile and he accepted my answer without question. "I have something for you Sam. Come for a run, yeah?" I asked.

"Sure, sure. Let me tell Emily."

**BPOV**

"Did he really get given the Z4 as a gift?" Seth asked wide-eyed.

"Yeah, but it was from all of us. It's pretty awesome and I don't know anything about cars." I giggled. "And before you ask I was made a darkroom so I can develop and print my own photos at home." I told him proudly.

"Jeez, to be a Cullen eh?" He muttered appreciatively. "Leah and the new boyfriend gave me some itunes credit which was pretty great and my mom and dad gave me a wakeboard. Sam says he'll take me out in summer." His eyes sparkled as he told me about his gifts. I was so pleased he had had a nice day.

"I'm sorry this is late Seth, but this is from me, merry Christmas." I shoved the little box into his hands and tried not to notice his embarrassment.

"Oh Bell's you didn't have to get me nothing. But thanks." He smiled widely, showing me his bright white teeth. He tore the paper off and shrieked as he saw what was in the box. "Oh jeez, thanks Bella!" He ripped the top off the box and pulled out the iphone and turned it over and over and over again. He smiled at me again then looked to where Edward was sat with Sam. Then he jumped up out of his chair and hugged me tightly. "Thank you Bella. Love ya girl." He whispered before he kissed me on the cheek.

He sat back in his own chair and then looked again to where Edward sat. I listened intently to Edward's inner voice, he was working very hard to concentrate on what Sam was saying rather than what Seth and I were saying and doing. I was sure he knew what Seth had just done and said, but he showed no outward or internal signs of it.

"You're welcome Seth. Love you too kiddo." I told him.

"Um, I got you something too, it's not much but I did make it myself. Well, Leah helped with the beading but I did most of it." He reached down beside his chair and pulled a small flat parcel up into his lap. He turned it the right way up, examined it for a second like he was going to change his mind and then he thrust it into my lap. "Hope you like it."

I unwrapped it carefully and pulled out a beautiful dream catcher. "Oh wow Seth. You made this yourself?" I asked incredulous. It was threaded with tiny glass beads that hung from the central braided threads. The ring that held them was wound tightly with brightly colored cotton threads from which hung feathers, more beads, shells a piece of amber and some intricately carved wooden charms. One was a tiny wolf, a replica of Seth himself and another was a black swan. I gasped at how amazingly lifelike the animal carvings were. "You did this, for me?" I asked him as he beamed across at me.

"Yeah, my dad teaches all the kids here to do it. I thought you'd like the little wolf, and the swan too even though you won't be a Swan for much longer." He winked and I chuckled.

"Its amazing Seth, thank you so much. I'll hang it above my bed, give me good dreams, you know?" I shrugged, too choked up to say much more. In the end I did what he'd done and pulled him up and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, so very much." I whispered with as much feeling as I could muster.

"You're welcome Bella." He told me, patting me on the back as we stepped apart again.

'_I'm going for a run with Sam, I won't be long Isabella.' _I heard Edward say gruffly. I turned to where he'd been sitting with Sam but he wasn't there. I saw a flicker of movement by the trees at the very back of the yard and saw just the merest hint of him as he and Sam headed for the deeper woods. Something about his tone of voice and the fact that he'd not kissed me goodbye told me he was not happy. Oh dear.

"Come and say hi to Leah Bell's." Seth tugged on my sleeve and I followed him inside.

**EPOV**

"_Thank you Bella. Love ya girl." _Seth was hugging Bella now and she was hugging him back. When she echoed his loving confessional I held my breath and tried to concentrate my thoughts on what Sam was saying about his Christmas day festivities. We were running through the forest already by this point but I could still hear them and Seth's mental voice as well. I tried to let it go. I knew he loved her, I could read him. What I hadn't known before today was that she loved him too. I was 100% sure it was a sibling kind of love, I didn't doubt for one moment Bella's commitment to me, but it hurt all the same to hear her say it to someone other than me.

She'd said it to my family members, and hers, but this was Seth. He was a wolf, my natural enemy, and my rival, the only creature on the planet that could ever take her from me apart from another of my kind.

After a while we came to the cliffs where we'd gone diving that day and we stopped and sat in the long grass. "I wanted to give you something Sam but I want to make sure you don't take it the wrong way, or be offended by it. This is purely from me Sam, this has nothing to do with my family or Bella." I handed him a long, thin envelope and let him open it and read it.

"Wow, you're sure about this? That's an awful lot of money." He asked. I could tell from his thoughts that he was surprised but not offended.

"Will you give it to them for me Sam? I know they need it and I'd like to help." I told him.

His question formed in his mind, now he just needed to ask it. I waited patiently. "Why Edward?" He asked.

"Because it's my fault they're struggling. I took their breadwinner away. I know you'll say that the tribe and the pack will do all they can for them, but Billy Black needs more help than you can provide. With him in the wheelchair he needs long term care. And now with Jacob's sister expecting a baby… I want to help. I need to help them Sam." I told him truthfully.

"I can't tell you if the Black family will accept it, but I will give them this letter and the check. You'll have your answer if they cash it. Thank you Edward, that's more than generous of you." He shook my hand and tucked the letter into his pants pocket.

"Thank you. I hope he does use it. This is for the pack Sam. This one is from all of us, Bella included." I handed him a larger envelope and waited for him to pull out the tickets. He was about to protest when I stopped him. "Don't bother Sam, Alice will chuck a fit if you decline. Take your wives, girlfriends, whomever you like. We have a home there and it's yours to use as you wish."

"Shit, the guys will go nuts over this. I've never been out of Washington State." He laughed as he flicked the twenty airline tickets through his hand like a deck of cards. We'd given the pack and their significant others fares to Anchorage and back and the keys to our house there. We hoped they'd make a holiday of it and make good use of their free time between now and when work and school restarted in mid January.

"Well then, it will be an adventure for you." I laughed along. "While you're being so accepting I want you to have this too." I handed him the last of my three envelopes. He rolled his eyes this time and wondered what could possibly be in it.

"Shit Edward, you can't be serious?" He asked as he read the letter inside.

"I didn't do that Sam, Bella and Carlisle did. You can take it up with them." I chuckled.

"Does Seth know?"

"No. Bella thought it might be better coming from you." I said, trying to keep my contempt to myself. Seth had apparently mentioned to Bella during one of his visits that he'd like to one day study medicine. He knew the tuition for medical school would be impossible for his parents to handle, not to mention the uphill battle natives often found when they tried their hand at the professional sector. Bella's money had been pledged to payroll Seth's tuition until he was finished at Forks High and then on into medical school if he got a place academically. The icing on the cake had been Carlisle's written assurance that if he made it through med school he would personally indenture Seth, no matter what hospital he was attached to at the time.

"Why are you giving it to me then, not Bella or Carlisle?" He asked quizzically.

"Bella doesn't want it to look like charity. She wants Seth to work hard at school and make the grades he's going to need to get into med school on his own. She thought he might slack off if he thought he was a shoe in and his tuition was already paid. He might qualify for scholarships if he works hard enough and then he could use the money for something else. I think the plan is to use this money to pay his way through high school and then see if he can secure a place at university." I thought it was a well thought out plan, one that would help Seth achieve his goals without handing him the prize.

"Makes sense. She's smart huh?" He asked.

"Yeah. She is." She'd planned it well and I could see that Sam thought it was a good plan too. "She's smart and far, far too good for the likes of me." I added idly.

"They always are brother. They always are." He added.

We both sat on that cliff watching the waves for a quite a while. We were silent too, just watching the waves and the clouds move across the horizon. Sam was thinking about our generosity, I was thinking about Seth telling my Bella he loved her.

"Let's run mate." Sam leapt to his feet and prepared to phase.

"First to the border wins." I shouted and was gone before the first shimmers overtook his body.

**BPOV**

It was getting dark and they'd not come back.

I knew I was safe here. There were nine fully-grown wolves sitting around the bonfire pit, so that wasn't an issue. I just didn't know what they were doing that would take this many hours.

Maybe they were arguing? Maybe Sam had taken offense at my offer to pay for Seth's tuition? I knew Edward had things he wanted to do for the Black family too, maybe Sam had gotten angry and they were fighting? Alice would never see it and I couldn't run off and look for them on my own.

I pulled my cell phone out and sent a text instead.

~R U Okay? You've been a while. Love you, B + B xx~

I tucked my phone back in my pocket and looked around the fire pit. Pairs were sitting on logs and roasting marshmallows in the brightly flickering flames.

Most were drinking, some were still eating third and fourth helpings of the evening meal Emily had prepared.

The elders had come down the little gravel road out the front at sundown and they were dotted around the pit too. I was the odd one out. One lone vampire among all these natives and wolves. Seth sat beside me on the log, twisting a long metal rod in the fire and waiting for his marshmallow to go gooey before he threw it into his mouth.

I kept my eyes on the tree line where I'd seen Edward and Sam disappear earlier in the day and I kept my hearing ranged as far as I could in case I picked up his thoughts before I smelled him approaching.

'_I'm coming now my beauty.' _I heard his approach and tensed, eager to see him and know he was okay. Seth felt me shift beside him and he smiled up at me from his perch.

"He's coming back?" He asked with a cheeky grin.

"Yeah, look." I pointed to the place between the trees and we both watched Sam and Edward run out of the woods, slow to a walk and come to where we sat.

Edward swooped down and kissed my upturned face. '_Sorry for worrying you love. Business. I love you too.' _He told me silently. "Hey Seth. Thanks for looking after my girl."

Seth positively beamed at the praise from Edward. They bumped fists and Edward began to make our goodbyes. He was eager to have me home for a couple of reasons. To tell me news of the 'business', to give me a chance to see my parents before they went back to their house and after all that he had a plan for something rather naughty. Oh er.

Edward was shaking hands with the pack members and was clapped on the back numerous times as the assembled boys ribbed him about his upcoming bucks night. It was going to be held on Wednesday night, which though unorthodox was okay as everyone was still on holidays then anyway. Unfortunately this was also the night of my hen night. Lucky me.

Seth volunteered again to walk us to the car and escort us off the Rez so we said our goodbyes at the gate. I folded him into a tight hug and thanked him again for my gift. I told him I'd see him at the wedding and he told Edward he'd see him on Wednesday evening. With a last groan from Edward we were off, back to the house.

I wanted to question Edward about how his talk had gone with Sam, whether their 'business' was concluded well, but Edward was silent most of the way.

His thoughts were more about the exchange between Seth and myself so I left it alone. He'd talk to me when he was ready.

**EPOV**

"Sam accepted it Carlisle. I told him the plan and he said he'd take care of it." We were sat in his study talking while Bella spent the last hour with her parents before they returned to their home.

"Good, good. He's a smart kid by all accounts. I hope I actually do get to show him the ropes someday." He mused. "Your business with regard to the Black family, did that go just as well?" he asked hesitantly.

"I don't know yet. Sam said he'd pass the letter and the check on. Now I have to wait. If Billy cashes the check, well, there's my answer." I wasn't at all confident about that, Billy was a proud man and I had my doubts that he'd accept help from any of the Cullen's. All I could do was hope.

"It was a very human gesture Edward. I'm proud of you for it." He said. I nodded as humbly as I could. I felt his mood change, "Now, how are you feeling about what was said tonight?" He questioned.

"Fucking Alice." I grumbled, earning me a 'language Edward' from Esme and a 'shut up' from Alice. "It's nothing." I told Carlisle and made to leave his study.

"If you say so son." He countered with an eyebrow raise. _'Go and talk to Bella before the situation gets out of hand.' _He advised and I nodded my agreement of the assessment.

Bella was just coming out of the shower when I got to our room. I undressed and got into our bed to wait for her. I wanted her close to me, as close to me as possible, for what I wanted to say.

I was determined to remain calm, be understanding and try very hard to keep my 'cave-ward' tendencies to myself.

I took a deep cleansing breath as she slid into the bed beside me.

My hands snaked themselves around her as though she were designed to fit them, which she was. I pulled her to my chest and drank in her heightened scent. Hot water always increased her scent until it scorched my nose, even now that it was a vampiric scent and not a human one it's effect on me was brutal.

I'd never be able to survive without her near me now. I knew it as truthfully as I knew the earth was round.

"You'll never have to find out Edward." Bella whispered against my Adams apple. Her tongue licking me up my throat and across my jaw, I couldn't help the loud groan I let out as she sucked the skin below my ear into her hot little mouth.

'I need to talk to you Bella, stop that.' I chuckled in my head and waited until she uncurled herself from me a little. I tucked her lower into the bed and held her against the crook in my arm. I stroked her hair and made ready to talk.

"Go on Edward, I know what this is about, get it over with." She said rather darkly.

Shit. I did not want this to be a fight. There was no need for this to get out of hand, no need for this to be anything other than a simple question. Right. "Tell me you love me." I demanded.

"Oh Edward. You silly boy." She whispered, kissing my throat again. "Only you. I love only you. You know that. He's like a little brother, nothing more, ever. Only you." She told me, punctuating each admission with a kiss.

"Thank you. I love you too. Only ever you Isabella." I confirmed and let the rest go. That's all I needed to know, that she loved me best. That she wanted this with me and only me. I could let the rest go completely. After tonight there were only six days until she was my wife, totally mine, completely mine, I could let the rest go and chalk it up to nerves and nothing more.

"The gifts, how did it all go?" She asked cautiously.

"Well, it all went very well. Sam accepted the tickets to travel for the pack very humbly and I'm sure they'll enjoy the trip. He has agreed to use the money you've given for Seth's tuition, he'll keep it from him for now as you've requested. So I guess you'll have to wait and see how that part works out." I told her and watched her smile widen with the news that it had gone to plan.

"And your gift Edward, what about the gift you've given Billy?" She asked shyly.

I was stunned. I didn't know she knew about that, but of course she'd have read it from me at some point during the planning stages. I shouldn't be too shocked really, she knew everything. She giggled. Damn!

"Ah, I gave the papers to Sam and he's agreed to pass them on. I'll have to wait and see if he cashes the check. If not I'll think of some other way to help." I kissed her hair and drew in another deep breath. "I wasn't hiding it, I promise, I just wanted to …I don't know, I feel responsible for their welfare."

"I know." She hugged me tighter but said nothing more.

**BPOV**

I woke up on Monday morning to Alice in the bed with me, not Edward. I was a little spooked but recovered fast.

"Morning Bella. We have a fitting this morning and then we are going to meet your mother in town so we can make the last changes to the flowers. So lets get going." She pulled the covers off me and gave me no choice but to get moving.

"Where's Edward?" I asked as I went into the bathroom to shower.

"Out." Was all she'd say.

"Fine." I huffed.

Alice dragged me from one appointment to the next all that day. I'd had one text message from Edward saying he missed me but other than that I'd not seen him since we'd gone to bed the night before. I slept longer last night than I had ever slept since my change. I had no time for an exam with Carlisle so tried to remember to tell him about it the next time I saw him.

My dress had been altered, again, to take my ever changing shape into consideration and it was agreed that I'd have it fitted again on Thursday just in case I put on more weight and my bump got bigger by then. Alice never once grumbled about having to let the dress out over and over. In fact, she patted my belly lovingly through the whole ordeal.

The florist showed us the mock up of the bouquets and buttonholes for the guys and my mother was very pleased with the design. We'd visited the baker who had finished the icing flowers for the cake but of course there was no cake to look at as yet. But the flowers looked lovely, even if I'd never eat one myself.

Alice drove us from appointment to appointment being careful that we weren't seen together too much in public. It was important that our three 'friends' not find out about the relationship between my mother and I lest she be used as leverage. So Alice dropped my mother at the front door of the florist and bakery then parked the car several blocks away and we went in on foot.

I never once saw any other vampire and Alice didn't either. We felt pretty safe the whole time.

Edward was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs when we got home that night. It was dark by the time we'd dropped Renee home. We'd had to stay while Alice did the last fitting for Charlie's suit, which looked fantastic despite his grumblings.

I flung myself at Edward and hugged him tightly. "I missed you so bad." I whispered before attacking his mouth with mine.

"Keep it clean you two." Alice trilled as she skipped past us and into the house.

"Bugger off Alice." Edward snarled as he kissed me back. I couldn't help but giggle. He was getting more and more desperate as time went on, it was rather hot. "How was your day baby?" He asked as he pulled me into the house with him. He drew me to the sofa in the living room and put several parcels into my lap as he slid down beside me.

"It was okay I guess. Long. It's a bit boring standing around swooning over cakes I'll never eat." I giggled, which earned me a mocked harrumph from Alice who was two floors up. "Why so many?" I asked of the three parcels.

"No deliveries on Christmas, remember? So that one is from Saturday, that one from Sunday this one is today's." Edward chuckled.

"Oh right." I guess I'd forgotten there had been that many days since my last delivery. I tore the paper from Saturday's parcel and flipped the lip open on the little satin pouch. Out fell a tiny replica of my eternity band. "Oh its gorgeous." I whispered and kissed him on his cheek. I let him crimp the charm to my bracelet while I pulled out the note. I half expected Esme to appear but she didn't. So I read it to myself instead. 'Dearest Isabella, For you and I nothing but eternity will do. You are my forever and in eight short days I'll be yours. All my love forever, Edward xx'. "Perfect." I told him as I kissed him again.

He reached for my hand and rolled the real rings round my finger before bringing them to his mouth and kissing them softly. "My forever." He whispered.

Sundays parcel held a filigree cross. It was etched with roses and ivy and was simply stunning. Edward's note told me that he was desperate to make our union official, before god, that in seven days he would be blessed with the gift of being my husband. I felt the emotion well up from deep within my belly and I flung myself into his lap and threw my arms around him as I kissed him soundly. "Thank you Edward, it's so lovely."

"You're most welcome darling. Do the last one then let me take you up to bed." He said huskily.

I didn't need to be told twice. I ripped the paper off todays charm and I gasped. It was an exact copy of my locket hanging from a little gold loop. It didn't open of course, but it was exactly the same as my locket. Even the etching was the same. It was gorgeous and I told him so.

I quickly read the accompanying note that told me that Edward loved me completely and wanted me to have everything my heart had ever desired. He told me that he loved that I wore his mother's locket and that with only six days left until we were wed he wanted me to know the depth of his devotion.

I took his hand in mine and pulled him up the stairs and into our room where I spent the whole night showing him the depth of my love for him.


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54 Forced Separation

**EPOV**

Tuesday saw me sitting in a police cruiser on my way to the Port Angeles regional airport. Renee was at their house entertaining an elderly aunt who had arrived the night before on a coach from Seattle, so that left Charlie, who'd roped me in for reasons that were not yet clear to me. Charlie Swan wasn't what I'd call talkative so it was a pleasant, if somewhat silent, trip. Of course he knew I could hear his thoughts so it wasn't totally silent.

"This is Renee's sister Susan and her husband Trevor we're picking up, you ready for this son?" He asked me with a chuckle as we passed through the parking station at the airport.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I answered, unsure what the correct answer was supposed to be.

"She's a little, ah, loud." He said carefully and I got the picture from his thoughts that although Susan looked like Renee she was definitely the more outspoken of the two, which was quite worrying considering Renee never had a problem speaking her mind. If nothing else it would be an interesting drive home.

"Thanks for the heads up." I chuckled. "How long has it been since you've seen them?" I asked.

"Well, lets see, Bell's is 18 soon so it's got to be 17 years." He laughed.

"Right. Should make for an interesting reunion." I chortled. "Might be interesting to hear what they make of me too." I added just to see Charlie's reaction.

"That's why I asked you to come along, Trevor thinks his shit don't stink. I want you to scare the crap outta the smug bastard."

**BPOV**

"Oh come on Alice this is just plain stupid now." I tried to squirm away but she pulled me back.

"The dress I've picked for the hens night is red so your toes need to be red. But you don't want red toenails for the wedding so we do this now and do it again on Friday, it's fairly standard wedding procedure, right Rose?" Alice looked to Rose to back her up but she just shrugged. "Well it is, so sit still."

Esme was standing on a kitchen chair while Rose pinned the hem of her dress in the right position. She looked lovely, her dress was just right.

It was a soft filmy mushroom pink short-sleeved dress that fell in soft folds to her mid calf. It had a matching jacket that was made entirely of lace of the identical color. It tied around her waist with a sash made of the dress material and it was flawless. She looked so beautiful in it. She had matching shoes that Alice had had covered in fabric so they matched the outfit perfectly.

I wished – not for the first time either – that I could wear something simpler than my dress. Alice closed her eyes tightly, tilted her head back and let her vision come to her. Then she screwed up her eyes and clucked her tongue at me, "Forget it Bella, your dress is done." And then she went back to painting my toenails what can only be described as 'hooker red'.

Rose and Alice were both wearing the same dress at the wedding but in different colours as I was only having Alice as my bridesmaid.

Alice' dress was a grey silver and was shiny and slinky and it clung to her tiny frame like a second skin. It was strapless but it had a long shawl that hung around her neck and flowed down her back. It was pulled in at her waist and then fell to the floor in a shimmering drape.

Rosie's was identical in every way but it was steel grey, darker than Alice' by several shades.

They had matching silver shoes that had just arrived by courier, along with my charm for today. I'd been told to leave the charm in it's package and get back up to Alice' room, apparently there was no time for that right now. Harrumph.

The girls dresses were hanging in garment bags inside Alice' closet and were ready to go on Saturday. They had had their final fittings a week ago, neither of them would change shape between now and then.

I could see the bag that held my dress, it was hanging on a rail in the closet too. Though I wasn't in any hurry to have to wear it – I still loathed being the centre of attention despite now never having to blush ever again – I was desperate to have it all over and done with and to finally be Edward's wife.

Edward had been collared by my father and roped into an airport run to collect my very strange aunt and her even stranger husband. Their daughters Debbie and Sarah would be arriving on Friday with their husbands, Nick and Aaron, in tow. Luckily they'd decided to stay in a hotel in Port Angeles and would drive a rental car to the ceremony on Saturday, so no trip had to be made to collect them.

I was eager to see Edward, I'd not laid eyes on him since 9am this morning when Charlie had pulled the cruiser into the driveway and honked the horn impatiently. It was now midday and they'd not come back as yet. I was expecting him to be back by 11 at the latest. I'd had no message and I was getting antsy.

"Sit still Bella." Alice whined.

I turned to see whose car it was that was coming up the driveway, hoping it was Edward, but it wasn't. I didn't recognize this car at all.

"Jaz, Peter's here." Alice said in her normal speaking voice, Jasper would hear her no matter where he was in the house. Alice turned her attention back to my toes. "That's Peter and his mate Charlotte, Jasper spent a lot of time with Peter during the war." She said by way of explanation.

"You'll like Charlotte Bella, she was only 16 when she was turned, she's lots of fun. She'll be a cracker tomorrow night." Rose added.

"Great." I said unenthusiastically. I had rethought my deal about this hens night and bucks night. It was a shit idea and I'd do almost anything to get out of having to do it.

**EPOV**

"Oh yes, we'll be moving on to UW after senior year. Bella's applied for photography I've been accepted for medical school but I'm holding out for a place in the music program." I told the ghastly Trevor.

'_I told you he was an asshole.'_ Charlie gloated mentally, shooting me a sympathetic look. I'd been thoroughly grilled by Trevor the entire trip back to Forks. I hadn't been able to test if Susan was still loud because she'd been unable to get a word in since they'd stepped through the terminal doors.

How long have you known our Bella? How will you support her? You're awfully young, what's the hurry? Where will you live after? What grades do you make? What are your plans for the future? I felt like I should've bought a resume that listed my prospects with me!

"Can you make a living out of music in this day and age?" Trevor mused smugly while his thoughts ran over whether or not he was afraid of Charlie's driving or me. I guessed it was me but the horrid little man wasn't to know that I'd been licking my teeth since he got into the car and the smell of my venom was making even Charlie nervous, despite my having told him my plan prior to beginning it.

"I think I can, yes. I'm a trained classical pianist, there's always a market for good ones." I told him less than humbly. I was in no mood to be modest. The quicker we dropped them off at Charlie's house the better.

"Edward's going to teach music one day aren't you son?" Charlie chimed in helpfully.

"I'd like to, yes."

"Our Debbie is a teacher. Middle school English. We're so proud of her. In line for Assistant Principal she is." Susan piped up before Trevor could verbally espouse his thoughts on his daughters careers.

"What's Sarah doing now?" Charlie asked.

"She was a dental hygienist but she's home looking after their little one now." Trevor said smugly.

'_If the kid is anything like Sarah was as a kid I wouldn't be too smug if I was him.' _It was so unlike Charlie to be so poisonous, I almost choked on my venom.

**BPOV**

Rose was right, I did like Charlotte. She was fun loving and had a fantastic sense of humour. She'd fit in straight away, as had Peter to a lesser degree. He and Jasper excused themselves almost as soon as the introductions were finished and they'd gone off to Jasper's study. Alice explained that Peter was co-authoring Jasper's newest book.

"You won't see too much of those two while we're here. The last time Jasper came to Austin to visit us I didn't see Peter for nearly three weeks. They only came out of our nest to feed – and for Jasper to hunt – (I noticed she rolled her eyes when she said that so I knew she was one of the vampires who thought our way of life was a bit of a waste of energy) twice the whole visit." She giggled.

"Well they won't be able to hide up there like that this time. They've got things I need them to do over the next few days." Alice snorted. Apparently there was no rest for anyone.

That included me. Now that I had been deemed 'done' by the toenail painting squad I was ushered off to have my eyebrows waxed and shaped by Rosie. She was grinning evilly and Alice had warned her to 'be nice' and I had a horrible déjà vu moment when I thought back to that first school dance and the evil diamante hairpins.

"Don't look at me like that Bella. My eyebrows are perfect, look." She raised and lowered them a couple of times and then she dragged me up to her bathroom.

**EPOV**

"She's upstairs with Rose. You can't interrupt Edward, they're on a mission." Alice told me when I'd asked where Bella was. Charlie had gone back to work, lucky for him he wasn't stuck in that little house with Trevor, Mr I've Done Everything and Been Everywhere and did I mention I've done it Twice?

I was about to tell Alice that my mission was more important than anything Rose had install for Bella when I caught a whiff of visiting vampire. Charlotte poked her head around the kitchen door and smiled at me widely.

"There's the groom!" She cried and ran to where I stood at the foot of the stairs. "Give me a hug you big hunk of spunk!" She yelled as she wrapped her arms tightly around me.

"Ah, hello Charlotte." Was all I managed to get out before she was off on one of her marathon speeches.

"It's so good to meet the little lady who stole your heart finally Eddie. We were all starting to worry that you might be, you know, playing for the other team ya all. Peter said not, but I was wondering." She waggled her finger in front of me and I cringed. God help me. "But now we know you're all man and little Bella has caught you in her trap. Good for you Eddie, good for you. She's a peach. And you managed to knock her up before she was changed too, good for you Eddie, good for you." She went on and on and on and on without needing to take a breath.

I shot a weary glance at Alice but she shrugged and went back to whatever it was she was doing with Esme, leaving me stuck in the foyer with Charlotte. I was about to beg off, saying I had a million things left to organize when I was rescued by the arrival of new guests. "Esme" I called, "The Irish are here."

Charlotte shut up as soon as she smelled the new vampires that were extracting themselves from a hire car in our driveway. I strode out the door and down the steps and extended my hand first to Liam and then to Maggie and Siobhan.

"Congratulations Edward. We are so happy for you." Liam said as I ushered them into the house. Esme came to the foyer and greetings were had all round again. She introduced Charlotte to the new arrivals and then Esme took them all back into the kitchen with her, leaving me free as a bird to find my mate.

"Not so fast Edward. I need you to take their luggage to the cottage. Where are your bags?" Alice asked me and I cringed. Shit. I'd count down how many seconds it was going to take for Bella to get here and bust my balls but there was no point…the damage was already done. Alice gasped as the vision came to her. "You didn't tell her yet?" She shrieked as Bella came flying down the stairs, bowling me over and knocking us both to the floor at the bottom of the staircase.

I heard the arrival of the five vampires from the kitchen; Bella either didn't or didn't care. She disentangled herself from me, stood up and put her hands on her hips. "And why the fuck do you need bags Edward? Alice? Where is he going? If he's going somewhere I'm going too!" She hissed. Yes, she actually hissed at me in front of everyone.

Did I mention shit?

**BPOV**

I knew I was probably making a fool of myself but I didn't give a fuck. I knew there were guests in the house and I knew they were looking at me and wondering what the fuck I was doing, but I didn't care. They were probably, about now, debating the wisdom of someone like me marrying someone like Edward. Again, I didn't give a flying fuck. All I wanted to know was why Edward needed luggage.

"Well? One of you better spill your guts and they had better do it quick." I snarled as Edward got to his feet and dusted his hands on his jeans.

"Bella calm down, please. We have guests." He shot a look over his shoulder and grimaced at the assembled crowd. "Come upstairs and I'll explain."

"Fine." I huffed and turned on my heel and shot up the stairs. I waited until he was in the room before I turned on him again. "Where are you going?" I hissed.

He had the decency to look remorseful. "To the cottage." Oh good. Maybe they'd offered our room here to some guest or other and we'd just go and stay at the cottage. I'd get to see it early, but oh well. "Until the wedding." He added. He was looking at his feet now. I searched his head to see what else was coming. '_Alone.' _He added and I couldn't help the shriek I let out.

I sat back down on the end of the bed and just stared at him. He was serious. He was going to go and stay at the cottage until after we were married. I was going to stay here. I could see in his mind that this was firm, he'd not be swayed. This was what he wanted. No, he didn't want this, he had to do this.

"Why?" I asked quietly.

"Because it's the right thing to do, for one. For another some of our guests are going to be staying there until the wedding and it's not right to leave them in the middle of the woods, in my own home, without at least one of us there. Bella you know I don't want to be without you, but I have to do this." He came and sat on the end of the bed and took my hand in his, rolling my engagement ring through his fingers.

"But why?" I wanted to cry. I was going to have to spend the next three nights on my own in the house and in our bed. I didn't want to. There had only been one or two nights I'd slept without him since I was a child. And then I wondered something else. "You will come and see me during the days though, right?"

"No Bella, I wont. I'm going to the cottage tonight when everyone retires for the evening and I won't see you again, physically, until the wedding love." He said it very quietly and I could hear the pain in his voice as he said it, but it just didn't make sense. He was upset to be leaving me but it was his choice to make.

"No." I whispered. It was all I could think of to say.

"Yes Bella. We'll both be busy tomorrow with the buck's and hen's night to set up and then on Thursday are all the last minute things. Friday Alice will be keeping you busy all day with girly things. You won't even notice that I'm not around. I promise I'll call you and we can text, hell, I'll take my laptop and we can get on the webcams if you want to. But I have to do this, for us." He said.

"I don't want to." I really didn't.

"I do." He said sternly. "Bella. Darling. Spend some time with your parents, your family. Go out with your friends. Let me build the anticipation for us both. It's only three nights really, I wouldn't be able to stay here on Friday night, that's traditional anyway."

"What if you change your mind?" I asked. I'd never know until I was stood at the makeshift altar and he wasn't there. It wasn't like he'd never run before. "What if you have second thoughts?"

"I swear to you I won't. Bella, god, I've spent a lifetime waiting for this, for you. Let me do this for us. I want Saturday to be special. I want the next time I see you to mean something, not just because we'd spent half a day apart getting ready. I want to crave you. I want you to _need _to see me." He whispered this last part and I shivered at the thought of it.

"You want me to need to see you?" I repeated his statement quietly and he nodded his head. "You think I don't _need_ to see you now? You think it doesn't crucify me to spend ten minutes away from you, away from your scent, away from your mental voice, the touch of your skin? Do you think I don't crave you now Edward?" I was panicking; I could feel it swelling up within me. I could do nothing to stave it off.

He ran his hand through his hair and sighed heavily. He turned to me, pulled me to his chest and laid us back down onto the bed, side by side, facing each other. He put his hands on my cheeks and held me steady, never breaking eye contact. He took another deep breath. "Listen to me, please." He said out loud and I nodded. '_I hope all you've just said is true, it is for me. I crave you too, it's going to hurt me to be away from you too. And I know you don't understand why I want to do this, but I am going to do this Isabella. I am yours, totally yours and I love you with my entire being. You know that to be true. Please, give me this.'_

I just lie there staring at him as he finished his inner monologue. I was stunned into silence. He was deadly serious. He wanted us apart so that when we were together again it would mean something more than just having been apart to dress for our wedding. I was suddenly thrust back into a fuzzy human memory. It was of Alice. She was explaining to me about Edward building memories. I could tell Edward was sincere, he'd never not been sincere with me, ever. Edward wanted to do this. Edward wanted the memories of this separation so that we could both better appreciate each other when we were together again.

In a fucked up sort of way it was an amazing gift he was giving me.

Edward was giving me a deeper connection to him.

"Okay Edward. I'll do this on one condition." I said quietly.

"Name it and it's yours." He replied carefully.

"This is the last time that we are ever apart by choice." I said sternly, hoping he could tell I meant every word. I wanted this promise from him or I would follow him to the cottage tonight.

"Done." He didn't hesitate. "Now, come downstairs and let me introduce you to our guests." He kissed me lightly on my lips and jumped up from the bed.

**EPOV**

"Siobhan, Liam, this is my Isabella." I said proudly. "Bella these are our cousins from Ireland, Liam and Siobhan."

"It's a very great pleasure to meet you Isabella." Liam kissed Bella at her temple and stood back to let Siobhan do the same.

"We've heard so much about you Isabella." She said.

"Please, call me Bella. Only Edward calls me Isabella and usually when I'm in trouble." Bella giggled, shooting me a playfully menacing look. At least I hoped it was playful.

"I hope you aren't in trouble often." Liam joked and Bella raised her eyebrows.

"I have my moments. One of which you just witnessed. I'm sorry about that. I've been left out of the loop on a few minor details." Bella was trying to be magnanimous but I knew I was in deep shit.

"Don't be embarrassed my dear, weddings bring out the worst in everyone. I went to a wedding in Ireland in the 1530's I think it was, the groom and the best man had a disagreement about the dowry and a sword fight was scheduled. Both were both mortally wounded and the bride had to marry the younger brother of the groom the next day." Liam said with a faraway look in his eye.

Bella stood open mouthed and gaping. "That would mean I'd have to marry either Emmett or Jaz. Eww." She laughed.

"Hey Smella, I heard that. Harsh sissy, that's harsh." Emmett called from the living room.

"Sorry Bell's, I love you girl but I'm already taken. You're it Em." Jasper chimed in.

I growled in their general direction and they both laughed.

"Excuse us a moment please, I'd like to introduce Bella to Maggie and Garrett." Liam swept his hand in a parting gesture and moved aside for us as we went into the living room – I punched Emmett on the shoulder and cuffed Jasper's ear as we went by – to find our other guests.

Maggie and Garrett made an odd pair. Maggie was a coven mate with Liam and Siobhan and she lived in Ireland with them. But she'd taken a shine to Garrett, who was a friend of Peter and Charlottes but who was a nomad of no fixed abode here in the United States. They'd been introduced at Carlisle and Esme's wedding initially and they'd been meeting up again at various occasions ever since. Neither made the move to go with the other when they parted but nor did they actively seek out another mate in the times they were apart.

"Is this your lovely bride Edward?" Maggie asked when she saw us coming.

Another round of introductions and small talk was had while Bella tried to work out where all the assembled vampires fit in the scheme of things. Alice had suggested a flow chart. I'd scoffed at the time but was rethinking that.

Bella nudged me in the ribs and giggled.

"What? It might help." I pouted. "I think it's a good idea." I mumbled. This earned me a scowl and a rib nudge.

"Yes, well, you know what I think of your ideas." She hissed and turned on her heel and went into the kitchen to find Alice.

"How's that being read working out for you there Eddie?" Emmett guffawed.

"Get stuffed Emmy-bear." I growled.

"Edward!" Esme shot me a warning look and I apologized for my bad language. This day was not turning out the way I'd hoped.

**BPOV**

"Why didn't you warn me Alice?" I found her in the kitchen where she was busy stuffing sugar coated almonds into little gauzy bags and tying little silver ribbons around them to close them.

"It's not a big deal Bella. He's right you know. Nothing wrong with anticipation. And you are going to be too busy to notice him around anyway." She shrugged and I saw red.

I stalked back towards the living room, noticing the darkening sky. He'd be leaving soon. I choked back the panicked sob that rose in my throat and headed right past him and up the stairs and went into our bathroom. I sat down heavily onto the closed toilet and chucked a silent tantrum.

I hadn't even really even started on my internal rant when my cell phone beeped. I snatched it off my side of the desk in a huff.

~Please come back down, I miss you already. More arrivals incoming. Italian contingent. Meet me in Carlisle's study? Please? I love you, Edward xx ~

Shit. How was a girl supposed to chuck a decent tantrum in a house full of super-hearing vampires? To top it off Edward had resorted to silently pleading with me in his head at the same time that he was sending me pleading texts. He knew I really wanted to visit with Aro and Nathaniel and he wasn't above using that against me, to coax me out of the bathroom. Fucker. Mind fucker. Gorgeous mind fucker I amended as I went into the study.

'_I'm sorry, really I am. There didn't seem a good time to mention it. Forgive me, please?'_ he was sitting on the sofa, patting it with his hand for me to sit by him, pleading with me in his head. Stupid, gorgeous, irresistible mind fucker.

I huffed loudly as I sat. He reached for my hand and I let him put it to his lips. I tried to look reluctant but when he used his teeth to nip my knuckles lightly I couldn't help the little desirous squeak that came out between my lips. "Asshole." I mumbled as he smirked smugly.

"That's hurtful Bella." He chuckled. "Here, I have something for you." He put the brown paper wrapped parcel into my hands. Today's charm. "I won't get to see you open the rest, indulge me, please?" He asked solemnly.

It was difficult to feel sorry for him knowing that our separation was his own doing. But the mournful look on his face was my undoing. I nodded weakly and tore open the wrapping. The black satin pouch gave up its treasure and a small gold lion charm fell into my waiting palm. "It's gorgeous." I muttered as I snapped the link shut onto my bracelet. I quickly tore open the accompanying envelope and was about to read the note when he interrupted.

"Please, read it aloud." He said. To follow he said, '_I want our visitors to hear Bella, I'm vain, I know.' _He chuckled in his head.

"To my darling Isabella, In five days you will become a Cullen in name, finally making you mine in every way possible. This charm, the lion from the family crest, will become our family crest not just mine when you say 'I do'. Know that they are the words I've longed to hear since the day I first laid eyes on you my beautiful girl. I love you now, forever and into eternity. I do. Edward xx"

I couldn't help myself and I flung myself into his waiting arms. I let him kiss me deeply even though I was still mad at him for leaving me.

"Don't be cross with me. I love you, I'll be there waiting for you at the end of the aisle. I swear." He whispered, his forehead to mine. "I promise."

"Okay." I whispered in return.

"Come and see Aro and Nathaniel, they're driving me nuts wondering where you are." He chuckled.

**EPOV**

The four Italian vampires – Aro, Nathaniel and Marcus with his mate Renata whom we'd not met in Italy as she'd been visiting elsewhere at the time – had been duly introduced to our other visiting friends.

They had borne Bella off to the dining room to talk and I'd not seen any of them since. It was getting quite late and Carlisle would return from the hospital soon, which would spark another round of boisterous greetings.

It had been a long time since this many of us had gathered in one place. It had certainly been the first time Bella had been among this many of my kind, her kind. I still had trouble remembering that these were her peers now too, not just mine.

I distanced myself from the various discussions and reminiscences and retreated to the back decking. A few quiet – as quiet as it could ever get for me when mental voices were involved anyway – moments alone I was seeking.

Of course it was futile to wish for that.

Alice plopped down beside me and sat cross-legged on the deck beside my seat. _'Nervous?'_ She asked me silently.

I shrugged noncommittally.

'_Do you want me to show you?'_ She asked. I took a second to think about that. Did I want her to show me the wedding as she'd seen it?

I shook my head, no.

'_She loves you.' _She said, nodding towards the house where Bella was talking with Renata about the baby.

I nodded in agreement. I knew she loved me.

'_You'll do fine.' _She announced unexpectedly. I wanted to ask her to what she was referring but she was already gone. I listened as she greeted Carlisle and then led him into the dining room to start the greetings.

I knew Carlisle wanted a few moments with our guests to reinforce some things about our way of life here so I called to Bella to join me outside for a moment. She came to me with a wide smile.

"How are you feeling my love?" I asked. It could've meant so many things that one question. Was she overwhelmed with so many new vampires around? What did she think of them? Was she tired? Nervous? Excited? Was it too late to elope?

She slapped my arm and scowled at me. "Stop thinking that. We aren't eloping Edward." She grumbled, but with the sexiest grin on her face I'd ever seen. "Stop thinking that too." She slapped me again and I put my hands up in surrender. "I'm fine. They all seem great. It's nice to see Nathaniel again." She added at the end.

I put my hands across her belly and waited until the familiar movement struck out against my palm. I closed my eyes and drank in her scent, memorizing it and the feel of her skin on my hands. I bent over slightly and rested my cheek against her warm tummy, pulling her jersey up slightly so that I could be skin to skin one last time. "I love you baby…I won't feel you in there for a few days…keep your beautiful momma company for me…I love you both so much." With the last words I returned to standing and took her face in my hands. "I love you both so much Bella." I told her earnestly.

"I know. We love you too."

I drew her to the nearest seat and pulled her down onto my lap. She rested her head under my chin and we just sat in silence and listened to Carlisle's speech.

"Thank you all for coming. I appreciate the distances you've traveled to share our joy over Edward and Bella's union. I know you've all fed before arriving but I must ask, if you have to feed, please leave the immediate area. We've built a substantial life here for our coven and would like to remain here for as long as possible. Bella's parents are nearby, as are our friends and neighbors. Please respect the choices we've made." A chorus of agreement was heard and Carlisle continued. "As was detailed in your invitation we have a unique situation here with a local native wolf pack. They are 13 miles due west on a Reservation of their own. We do not cross into their territory uninvited. They are brothers in arms and are particularly important to Isabella and Edward. Please respect their boundaries. If you have any objections to their presence at the ceremony on Saturday please feel free to distance yourself before their arrival. We understand and appreciate that some of you may have issues with wolves."

Garrett chuckled darkly but said nothing. He had been involved in a fight with a werewolf – not the same kind of wolf at our Rez, but close enough as far as Garrett was concerned.

"Tomorrow night's festivities will include the wolf pack so you'll all have a chance to get to know them before the wedding. There are three more of us who will arrive tomorrow, our cousins from Denali whom you all know. That will make up our party. However, there will be humans in attendance on Saturday." He left it at that but the tone of his voice was commanding. It was a silent warning for the assembled vampires to curb their thirsts in our home territory.

"It's late and Isabella more than likely would like to sleep, shall we retire?" He announced to some fairly interesting reactions.

She sleeps? Really sleeps? Can I watch? I wonder what it feels like? Do you remember sleep Liam? Peter is a hopeless actor when he pretends to sleep!

I felt the sting of separation begin in my gut and steeled myself for having to leave her.


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55 I Believe the Term is Rats Arsed

**BPOV**

"You've packed?" I stood staring at the small bag he had sitting on the coffee table in front of our sofa.

"I have." He whispered coming toward me. He folded me into his arms and kissed my temple. "Call me whenever you need to. Don't hesitate. I won't switch my phone off, ever. I'd never leave you in any danger, you know that, but stay close to Alice, please." His voice trembled and I cursed him for doing this to me.

"Don't go, please." I begged futilely. I could hear his brain saying he was doing the right thing and nothing would sway him, but I had to try. "Please. I'm begging, stay."

"I can't. I love you Isabella. I'll see you at the altar. I love you." And he was gone.

**EPOV**

"It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do." I told Liam as we sat on the low stone wall in the backyard of the cottage.

He was tossing an apple back and forth between his large hands. "For what its worth I think you did the right thing. Let her have a few days, it won't do any harm and you'll both be doubly sure by the time you face the preacher." He clapped me on the shoulder in encouragement but I felt like a first class shit.

"It seemed like a good idea when I first mentioned it to Carlisle, now I feel like a fucking idiot." I laughed darkly.

"Ah well, young Edward, you're about to be married, so take it from someone who's been married for two hundred and nineteen years come next April, this won't be the last time you feel like a fucking idiot." He laughed so loudly some deer nearby startled and shot off deeper into the woods.

I wanted to laugh, to join in his mirth but I couldn't bring myself to do it. All I could think was she'd be either asleep now or pacing, cursing me probably. I hoped she was asleep. It had been a big couple of days and I knew she got very tired in the evenings. I'd not commented but I'd noticed she'd slept longer and longer the past few days. She was growing so fast now, every few days saw a marked change in her shape, our baby pushing out her belly more and more.

Oh god, what have I done?

I'd left her _and _our baby alone in our room.

**BPOV**

"It's very romantic what he's doing sweetheart. Even if you think it's a bad idea, he's doing what he thinks is right. Why don't you hop into bed and try and sleep a little?" Esme patted the middle of the bed and I rolled towards it. She pulled the covers over me and I sunk down into the bed further. I pulled Edward's pillow towards me and inhaled deeply from it. Esme smiled indulgently but said nothing.

She stood but I gripped her wrist tightly, "Stay until I'm asleep, please?" I begged.

She took my hand and rubbed my knuckles softly. She sat on the side of the bed and began humming the lullaby Edward had composed for her god knows how many decades ago. I wanted so badly to be able to lie there and curse him silently for his stupidity but as Esme began humming the second movement I felt myself slipping away.

It was the beep of my cell phone that woke me early the next morning. I clutched it desperately and read the message before I had any thought to check what the time was.

~Good morning Isabella. I hope you managed to sleep some. I am away to the Rez to help set up for tonight, I shall give them your best. I love you, Edward xx~

I wanted so badly to hold a grudge, to make him wait for a reply, to withhold my reply, but I just couldn't. Even the stupid text message felt good.

~ILU2, B+ B xx~

I hit send before my resolve faltered. Okay, so I could be a little bit spiteful. I hoped he noticed I wasn't prepared to gush, even in text.

I left the phone on my desk and went in to shower.

I was sitting on the sofa filling in my weight chart when Alice came to collect me.

She stood behind the back of the sofa and ran a hand through my hair lovingly. "Are you okay pretty girl?" She asked carefully.

"Yeah Alice, I'm okay." I whispered. I wasn't okay and I knew she knew I wouldn't be okay until Saturday, but I told her I was okay to keep the peace.

"Please don't be sad. I'll make sure you have a nice day today and tonight will be fun." She countered my bad mood with her promises.

"I know Alice." I told her and folded my chart in two and put it back on the coffee table. "Let's make a start, shall we?" I asked and she beamed.

**EPOV**

"What is it Ed?" Emmett asked as I stood scowling at my cell phone. "Trouble?"

"Nah, it's nothing." I put the phone back in my pocket and returned my attention to the stack of chairs I was carrying out into Sam's backyard. Bella's text reply had cut me deeply. No niceties, she didn't enquire after my wellbeing or how my night had gone. I don't know what I'd expected but cold wasn't it.

"Two more stacks then the tables Edward." Paul pointed to where he wanted me to put the chairs and I let the stack fall from my hands.

My bucks party was being held at Sam's, around the bonfire as the packs Christmas party had been. Charlie and Sam had organized all the food though I'd paid for it all. I'd also spent a significant wad of cash on alcohol despite never being able to consume any of it. I knew it was a traditional part of any party and the wolves were excited to have it almost all to themselves.

Paul had assured Jasper that he had a stash of 'a little something Charlie need not know about' in readiness for Jasper's party trick tonight. I tried to ignore any talk of that but knew it would be unavoidable when the party got going later tonight.

I checked my watch again, which elicited a loud groan from Emmett, and I wondered what time the postman would visit the house today.

**BPOV**

Alice and Rose had been torturing me for two hours solid.

They'd argued about every single thing, all morning long. Rose wanted my hair up; Alice had promised Edward I'd have it down. Rose wanted dramatic eye make up because the official photos would be taken at twilight; Alice wanted subtle make up because the ceremony was late afternoon and because of the soft lighting outside. Esme had had to step in at one point when Rose had questioned me about what jewelry I wanted to wear. I'd told her I didn't own anything other than the earrings I'd gotten for Christmas and the locket I wore everyday. She'd fled the room and returned with a box and then she and Rose had sat on the bed and tried to decide what I should wear. When I flatly refused to take the locket off in favour of a long string of pearls Alice had erupted in a torrent of pleading, Rose had just erupted at Alice. Esme had cooled things down by letting the girls wear anything they wanted of hers for the hens night. The fight wasn't over and Alice made a point to tell me so.

Charlotte had sat through it all with a delighted expression on her face. She didn't pick a side but she added her two cents worth here and there, usually to rile up Alice but probably more to make sure the argument didn't die down too fast. She seemed to revel in the drama.

Maggie and Siobhan had gone to Port Angeles before I'd even gotten out of bed. They hadn't been shopping whilst they'd been in the United States this trip so they took the chance to skive off – and neatly avoided the arguing I noticed.

"Bella, delivery van coming up the drive dear." Esme told me. I was happy to slip out from Rosie's clutches and get away from the makeup table for a few minutes.

I slipped the stupid cape off my shoulders and ran to the front door in time to sign for the delivery. It turned out to not only be my charm.

The driver had huffed his way through delivering a dozen or so parcels and Alice was busy arranging them on the console table in the dining room. "This one is from the nurses at the hospital." She told me and I quirked an eyebrow. Alice giggled, "I know, they think Carlisle's hot."

I couldn't help my answering giggle. He was hot. "Who are the others from?" I asked.

"One from someone named Martin in Florida, must be a relative of yours Bella, none of ours would live in Florida." She laughed. "This one is from Charles and Makenna. They are mates, they are nomads but they are from Europe. They couldn't come because Charles doesn't like to fly. This one is from Deputy Mark, wow. This little one is from the bank manager, Edward will love that!" She scoffed.

I took my charm parcel into the living room and sat amongst the girls to open it.

Everyone gasped as a perfect replica of my engagement ring, in miniature, came tumbling out of the little black satin pouch. It was passed from woman to woman as the story of my bracelet was retold for the newcomers.

"Read the card Bella." Esme chimed, as was usual.

"My darling Isabella, I wanted you to have this charm and know that the best day of my life was the day you said you'd marry me. In four days you'll be my wife and you'll have made me the happiest man I could ever hope to be. With all my love and eternal devotion, Edward xx."

A suitable number of ooh's and ahh's were made as the little charm was clamped into its position on my bracelet. There were only three spaces left.

**EPOV**

I helped light the bonfire, that was the only interesting thing I'd done all day.

Sam had come home at around 3 and had bought with him the rest of the pack including Seth who seemed decidedly wary of me. I searched his head and found that he was worried I was angry with him for what he'd said to Bella on Boxing Day. I pulled him aside as soon as the opportunity arose.

When I had him alone I put a hand on his shoulder. "Seth, relax, I'm not angry." I told him earnestly.

He blew out his held breath and searched my face for signs that I was bluffing.

"I mean it Seth, I'm not angry. I know you love her and I know she loves you. I know it's familial, I know that. I'm not angry at either of you, please calm down." I cuffed his shoulder playfully and he smiled a little.

"Okay." He mumbled, still uncertain.

"Seth, let me ask you something. Are you pissed that Bella is marrying me on Saturday?"

"Of course not!" He yelled.

"So you're happy we're getting married?" I asked and he nodded violently. "You love her but you want her to marry me. She loves you but she wants to marry me. That's all the proof I need Seth, I know you love her like you love Leah, like a sister. So we're good." I held my fist out and he bumped it, finally able to believe me. "Good, now, lets party bro."

Finally! I thought when my cell phone beeped.

~Stop fretting and enjoy yourself. We've hunted, she's fine. A little pissed at you but fine. I'm taking good care of her, I promise. Love you, Al xx~

Fuck! Was it too much to ask for a message from my fiancé now and then during the day? Apart from her reply mid morning I'd heard nothing. It was as if she'd forgotten me, was too busy to think of me. I'm a dickhead for separating us like this. What if it backfired? What if she got so comfortable without me that _she_ changed _her_ mind? Oh fuck!

I looked around for Carlisle and spotted him talking to Harry Clearwater near a group of empty seats. Carlisle was assuring him that our visitors posed no threat to the locals. I didn't want to interrupt but I had to.

"Can I have a quick word Carlisle?" I asked as I came to stand by him.

"Of course Edward. Excuse me please Harry." He told the older man and we moved away toward the back of the yard, into the shadows. "What is it Edward?"

"I'm going to go home real quick. I'll be back in an hour." I ran my hand through my hair absently.

"Why Edward?" He asked. But in his head he was calling me out. Laughing at how I'd not even managed to stay away for one entire day before I caved.

"I don't care if you laugh Carlisle. I've not heard from her nearly all day, I can't handle any more. I'm going home. I'll come back, but I'm going home now." I made to move but he grabbed me by the shoulder of my shirt and I heard the seam give slightly.

"Stay Edward. Please. Everything is fine at home, she's with Alice, surrounded by very capable vampires and one wolf. Alice would call. Stay Edward, we want you to enjoy yourself, let us give you this party." He pled.

"But…" was as far as I got.

"No buts. You're staying. Jasper is ready to go and you and I are going to get, I believe the current term is 'rats-arsed'." He said it wit the inflection on the r in arsed, with a semi British accent that was totally ridiculous and cracked me up.

"I'll call her then we'll party." I conceded and he nodded and clapped me on the shoulder before returning to the fast filling party.

I was dialing before he had raised his hand at the group of very out of place vampires who'd just arrived.

"Hello Edward." Bella still sounded pissed.

"I'm so sorry, this was a fucked up idea, I'm so sorry. I'll never do this to myself again." It all came out in a rush and I heard her giggle and knew we were okay again.

**BPOV**

I'd been so tempted to just call him. Just to hear his voice. For nothing in particular, I just really wanted to hear his voice. Alice had confiscated my phone in the end citing I was driving everyone insane because I kept checking the screen all day.

I was sitting on the back deck enjoying getting to know the Denali girls when Alice came skipping outside with it in her hand. She dropped it into my lap.

"He's given in and is going to call and grovel in fourteen seconds." She huffed loudly, making all the women in the house cackle. When I raised an eyebrow in question she huffed again, "I can't see him because of the wolves, but I can see you answering, just take the phone."

Exactly fourteen seconds later my phone rang. I said hello and then let him grovel as Alice had seen. Then I took the phone with me and ran up to our room.

"Oh Edward, I miss you so much. I hate this. It's worse than that first day you went to school, remember that?" I asked desperately.

"Of course I fucking remember it. I was tortured all day. At least then I knew I could come home to you in the afternoon, I can't do that now and I'm so sorry." He sounded so sad, so distressed.

"It's done now Edward, we're nearly through the first day. Is that your party I can hear in the background?" I asked, trying to distract him from a situation neither of us could fix.

"Yeah, everyone's just arrived. Carlisle made me swear I'd stay here. I was coming home just now." He sighed, right back to the other topic.

"You can't come here, you'll be lynched." I giggled. "Stay there, let Jasper make you drunk, get high and have a nice time with your friends Edward. We're about to get started here, my mom and aunt have just arrived, so I had better go and put in an appearance myself."

"Okay, if I must. Tell me you love me." He demanded with a choked voice.

"I love you Edward, I adore you, want just you. I'll call you in the morning, I won't leave it all day tomorrow, I promise. Good night Edward." I was reluctant to break the connection but I knew if I didn't someone would come and drag me out and we'd not be able to say goodnight properly. It was best this way. Clean break so to speak.

I heard him sigh heavily once more. "Goodnight Bella and baby. I love you."

"I love you too." And I shut my phone before I lost my resolve.

**EPOV**

I was enjoying myself. Well, I had been anyway. Right up until the point that Jasper and Emmett produced their piece de resistance. The howling and laughter, the cheering and clapping that had accompanied the installation of a lead ball and chain to my ankle had been deafening!

Oh sure, anyone could go to a costume or party supply shop and buy a plastic ball and chain for the groom to be to wear, but oh no. My brothers - and bloody Carlisle I'd be willing to bet – had opted for an **actual** lead ball and matching chain.

That was how I found myself sitting on a log around a bonfire with a wide metal cuff dangling from my foot and a spiked lead ball sitting at my feet.

Then Jasper had announced that the humans and wolves were drunk enough for him to start projecting onto us. I'd tried to bow out but they wouldn't have it.

At first I felt nothing and then soon I began to feel a strange wave roll over me. It sort of relaxed me but sort of made me want to get up and dance too. I got lightheaded next. My thoughts were jumbled and the thoughts of those around me were too. Emmett was already slurring his words together and Carlisle wasn't too far behind.

It sort of felt like my arms were rubberized. It was hard to explain, but I knew that I liked it. I felt free. Yeah, free. Like having fun was the most important thing I could right then.

Jasper was projecting Paul's drunkenness onto Carlisle, Emmett, Liam, Aro, Marcus, Peter and me. Nathaniel had declined citing he was well capable of getting drunk in the traditional sense. He'd struck up a fast friendship with Jared and Quil and was sitting on a log on the far side of the fire pit. He was swaying and had fallen off more than once already, much to Marcus' delight.

Emmett sat on my left and Carlisle on my right. Carlisle was laughing his head off at Liam who was shoving marshmallows into Aro's mouth at a rate of knots. "He'll regret that in a few hours." Marcus was saying, to no avail. Aro continued opening his mouth every time Liam put the disgusting round blobs near it.

The wolves were tanked. All of them. Not a single one was sober enough to tell you his full name. Harry Clearwater was already passed out in the long grass by the side of the house where he'd fallen. Emmett had found him when Harry had announced he was going there to pee and hadn't come back. Emmett asked if he should shift the old man to somewhere more comfortable. Sam had said to leave him there, he'd slept there more times than in his own bed anyway. This produced another chorus of cheering and hollering from the assembled crowd who thought it was hilarious.

Seth had fallen asleep long ago. Only he'd had the good sense to go home to his own bed to do it. He had been allowed a couple of weak drinks, this being a significant celebration, but I don't think he'd enjoyed them. Colin and Brady, the two other young wolves had tried their best to stay and play with the big boys but they'd both caved an hour after Seth.

Charlie kept raising his glass at me every time he refilled it. He kept toasting me in his head, which cracked me up because he called me Eddie every single time. He was missing Billy Blacks company too, which I regretted. He'd wanted to share this with his two good friends but only Harry had agreed to come tonight.

By 2am he was asleep in his seat, drool slipping out of his mouth and leaving a long streak down the front of his plaid shirt.

All around the circle wolves and humans were snoring their heads off. It sounded like the low rumble of a convoy of trucks!

I was hoping that would be the end of the party really. The vampires would 'get sober' the instant Jasper stopped soaking up the drunks and we'd go home and leave the humans and the wolves to their hang overs. But it wasn't to be.

**BPOV**

I wish I could say I'd had a terrible time and I'd never let any of them talk me into having a party ever again but I couldn't. It was fantastic! So much fun.

I really, really liked Charlotte and the three girls from Denali were a hoot.

My aunt kept throwing us dirty looks but we ignored her for the most part. She had no idea what we all were and my mother didn't want to tell her, so she was shipped off home at the first sign of her yawn. That left only those of us who wanted to party and from then on we had a great time.

My mother was rolling drunk and had stuck to Esme like glue all night.

I had never seen her drunk before so it was a sight to behold. She was slurring her words like Emmett had done at the nightclub that time, the only difference being my mother got crude when she got drunk, Emmett got cuddly.

"Tell us if _everything_ sparkles Bella!" she shrieked at one point.

"Oh god, someone take my mother home." I whispered, hiding my face in my hands while the twelve female vampires laughed their heads off.

"Well? Does it?" My mother wouldn't let it go.

"Of course Renee. We sparkle _all over._" Rose winked at her and that shut her up.

A few hours in Alice announced that I should open my gifts. I had protested loudly saying that I hadn't even opened todays charm yet and that I hated presents anyway, but to no avail. I'd been made to sit in the middle of the long sofa, flanked by Alice who would write down who gave me what and Charlotte on the other side.

As each gift was put in my lap I began to see a pattern. Every single woman in attendance had bought me lingerie!

I pulled each piece out and nearly choked as I was made to hold them up and tell the giver what I thought of it. Most of it was obscene. Some of it was okay, but two thirds of it wouldn't have been out of place on a porno set!

Finally I came to the last parcel and I held my breath that that was over with. Yeah right. They were only just getting started!

As soon as I had put the last piece of lace back into its bag and set it aside Alice and Charlotte were hopping from foot to foot in front of me eager to 'play a game'.

Great.

Charlotte grabbed the bags of gifts once again and lined them up on the floor in front of me in the order I'd unwrapped them. I looked at Alice questioningly but she just winked back.

"Right, now, how this games works is like this. Every time Bella opened a gift I wrote down what she said about it. This is what Bella is going to say to Edward on their wedding night…"

And with that Charlotte began taking each piece out, one at a time, while Alice read out what I'd said. Each one was prefixed with, 'Bella said to Edward'.

It was pretty funny. My mother snorted loudly when Charlotte pulled a particularly evil black lace corset from a bag and Alice read out 'Holy shit it's so tiny!'

**EPOV**

Once Charlie was checked and deemed to be snoring for real Paul pulled out his stash and the remaining coherent wolves began lighting up.

Almost immediately Jasper began giggling like a schoolgirl.

He began projecting it onto us and I felt even more lightheaded.

The giggling took hold and although I knew it was a projected mirth I couldn't help laughing too. At everything. And anything. It didn't seem to matter what was said or where I looked, everything was funny, really funny. And brightly colored too. The flames of the fire did my head in, they danced and jumped and at one point I would've sworn on a stack of bibles I saw an apparition of Buddy Holly emerge from the trees to my left.

Emmett got up and started dancing around the fire pit, twirling and twisting. It looked like some sort of fucked up rain dance to me. If he made it rain on my wedding day Bella would fucking kill him!

I started laughing at that and couldn't stop.

I fell backwards off the log and took Carlisle with me; I'd grabbed his shirtsleeve to steady myself. He fell with a loud thump and added a louder 'fuck' into the bargain. Jasper lost it then and started hanging shit on Carlisle saying he was going to tell Esme that her old man has a foul mouth and that Carlisle would spend a month in the doghouse for it.

Carlisle countered by saying he'd tell Alice where Jasper had gotten the money he'd spent on her new charm bracelet. Jaspers eyes had widened in fright and my ears pricked up.

"Where did you get the dosh dude?" I muttered, unable to form the words clearly.

"Shut up Eddie." Jasper hissed. He shot Carlisle a warning look but his thoughts were too fucked up for me to make any sense of.

"Nah, come on. Tell a brother. What givesh?" I insisted. S sounds were bloody hard to say when you were ripped I was learning.

"He fucking won it off us." Paul laughed. "He's been playing poker with us late at night mate. Fucker is a demon at Texas Hold Em." Paul was pissed because he'd lost a fat wad to Jasper just this week and now it turned out Jasper had spent it on jewelry for his woman.

"Oh shit, Alice will spew." Peter crowed. He was tugging on the chain at my ankle, trying to make me fall backwards again. I was swatting at his hand but kept missing it by a fair few inches. Hand eye coordination was apparently something else you lost when you were stoned. Huh.

Liam and Aro got to their feet. "We feel like running. Not sure why. Just do. Going west, I think. Maybe South. Which way's south Aro?" Liam asked unsteadily.

"Point me in a direction and run old man." Aro chuckled.

They took off towards the gate of the Rez, god only knew which direction they'd head then.

"I've stopped projecting onto them Ed, don't need to ramped vamps in town do we?" He asked and I nodded. I wasn't quite sure why I was agreeing; I couldn't really even remember the question.

**BPOV**

Renee was asleep in the armchair, snoring loudly.

Tanya, Kate and Irina – the Denali girls – had waited until she was asleep before dragging me off into the night to hunt with them. Alice had insisted on joining us because she'd promised Edward she wouldn't let me out of her sight. Nobody had been told about our recent threat situation, Carlisle didn't want anyone to worry and we'd all agreed that the situation wouldn't escalate until the baby was ready to be born anyway.

I'd fed on a smallish deer and felt full already. There wasn't much room in my stomach these days for anything other than baby. He was growing fast too. I'd put on more weight yesterday and was likely to have done so again today.

I'd enjoyed the run home, it had been good to stretch my legs and let go a little. It had been a very tense couple of days.

At 3am I begged to be allowed to go to bed. I'd been let off only because of the baby and Alice and Esme had taken me up to our room. The others swore they'd see my mother home safely at some point.

When I came back from getting changed in the bathroom Alice and Esme were sat on the end of my bed, the covers pulled back, waiting for me.

"Thank you for a great night. I loved it." I told them truthfully. They both beamed at me and I realized just how important tonight had been to them both. Important that I'd had a good time.

"I'm glad Bella. You sleep now. We'll try to keep the noise down. Goodnight dear." Esme said quietly as I shifted down into the bed.

Esme left but Alice stayed. She came to lie beside me and began to stroke my hair. "I'm so happy you enjoyed yourself. Sleep now." She whispered softly as I let myself drift into a happy sleep.

**EPOV**

~She's hunted and now she's asleep. All's well. We'll wrap up here soon. Al xx~

Thank god. If she was asleep that meant they hadn't tortured her like I was being tortured. I quickly replied with my thanks to Alice and then set about trying to convince the others to go home.

It was 4am by now and not a single wolf was awake. Jasper had had to let us out from under his influence about an hour ago because the humans and wolves had fallen asleep and he couldn't maintain it if they weren't mentally alert. I was grateful, I'd had enough of being out of control anyway.

It wasn't that I hadn't enjoyed it, the opposite was true in fact. But I had had enough and wanted to go home to the cottage. To be near Bella's things even if that house was yet to have her scent permeate it I would feel better there, closer to her than here.

"Lets go?" I asked Emmett and Carlisle and they nodded. They were both thinking about wanting to be home in their beds with their mates now. I envied them that.

Jasper was debating whether or not to wake Charlie and get him inside. The wolves would be fine outdoors but Charlie would freeze. Peter and Jaz took him inside and put him into a bed. Garrett and I collected Harry and did the same.

With one last look at the carnage around the yard we headed for the boundary. We had no vehicles with us, it was often quicker to run anyway. We were just heading through the gate when Aro and Liam came flying through the trees, their mental voices in disarray, calling for me loudly.

"Edward! Edward!" Aro was shrieking out loud as the came to a sliding stop in front of me. "Edward, there's three of our kind in the woods. Not good. Not good. They're holed up there, lying in wait for your mate my friend."

Fuck. The cat was out of the bag.


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56 The Douche Goes on Holiday

**EPOV**

"Come back to the house, let us explain. Don't panic, please." Carlisle assured our guests, who were now preparing to fight.

Not another word was said, they turned and began to run back toward the house. We were there in a matter of minutes, all flooding into the house and crowding around the dining room table.

I couldn't help myself from taking a long, satisfying pull of Bella's scent the instant I got through the door. I knew I'd be kept from her, as she'd be kept from me while I was in the house, but I felt better being this close to her at least.

Carlisle went to find Esme and explained that our ruse had been ruffled. She went to each room and gathered the females and they too joined us at the table. Twenty-one agitated vampires sat or stood in the room. It was a sight to behold.

The smell of the venom was almost overpowering.

Carlisle began. "Please keep your voices down, Bella is asleep, we don't want to alarm her, although she knows of the threat." I looked around the room and took in the stunned faces. Almost all of them were thinking about how best to protect her, how to make the threat disappear. I was proud and grateful. Carlisle began to tell the assembled crowd what we knew and how it had all come about.

I could hear Bella snuffling and knew she was still asleep. Thank god.

"There are twenty-one of us here, let us go into the woods and make this go away, right now." Peter offered to many agreeing nods and voices.

"Friends, I appreciate that you want to help but we live here peacefully. We can't condone any violence, for any reason." Carlisle shook his head.

"You can't be serious. She is newborn, with child. The threat needs to be taken care of Carlisle, they are savages. They are living in squalor in a nest not fit for animals, they lie in wait for your son and his family." Aro was furious, livid and wishing he'd just slaughtered them while he and Liam had discovered them. I was inclined to agree, mostly.

"Aro, please. They have as much right to live here as we do. How they live is their business, as much as the way you live is yours." I said pointedly, hoping he'd see my point without me having to say it out loud. This wasn't the time or the place for a discussion on our lifestyle choices. "They pose no great threat to Bella, or the child, until she is ready to be born. Until then Bella and my child will come to no harm with us all here to protect them. Please, let us just calm down. Bella came to be one of us through an horrific act of violence, one that I'm not proud of, I don't want my child born into a family who'd do that without conscience." I sat back down and waited for them to come to their own conclusions.

The room fell silent for a few moments and I began to hear the first threads of reason return to the minds near me. Nobody was going to press the issue. This coven was respected enough to be left to protect it's own as we saw fit. Just the way we wanted it.

"Edward, go now, she's awake." Alice whispered and I was gone before the first peals of laughter rent the air in the dining room.

**BPOV**

He was here, in the house. I could smell him and hear him. I flew down the stairs and into the dining room, following his delicious scent.

Every vampire I knew was there, sat or stood around the table. I'd missed something big. But I didn't care. I was searching for Edward. I could still hear his thoughts but they were fading. He'd run. Fuck!

Without saying a word I turned and ran back upstairs to shower and change. I heard not a single word until I turned the water on and even then they were chatting happily about the previous nights merriment. Fuckers.

When I was dressed Alice came to see me.

"Sorry, it was me who sent him away." She bowed her head and waited for me to explode, I think.

"It's okay Alice. I understand." I told her. I really did.

"Do you want to come downstairs? Everyone is wanting to tell you about last night's party at the Rez."

"Soon. Can I have a couple of hours please? There are some things I want to do up here for a bit. I'll come down soon, I promise."

"Okay, are you sure you're okay?" She asked once more and I nodded, she left.

As soon as she shut the door I phoned Edward as promised.

I wrapped the gift I had for Edward and tied it with a bright silver ribbon. I put darker silver ones onto Rose and Alice' gifts and put them into a neat stack on the coffee table.

I used some of the time to write letters to my mother and father. I wouldn't have much of a chance to say what I wanted to say before we left on our honeymoon so I put it all on paper. I'd have someone hand them to them after we left on Saturday. They were mostly letters of thanks, for all they'd done for me. For the love they'd given me, for accepting Edward and the Cullen's and for supporting me through everything.

A tougher letter to write was the one to Phil. I thanked him the same as I had my parents but added a footnote that he should never, ever be frightened of me, of the Cullen's, that he'd always be welcomed wherever we were and that I didn't want our goodbye at the Phoenix airport all those months ago to be the last time I ever saw him. I begged him to come for the christening and promised to let him know when it was going to be held. I was aware of the futility of the letter but still felt I needed to send it.

I was giggling to myself when I went downstairs at midday.

"What's so funny sis?" Emmett asked as I plonked myself down next to him on the sofa.

"Ever tried to lick a stamp?" I asked laughing.

"Nah." He answered, screwing his face up as though he didn't get the joke.

"Venom dummy. You can't lick a stamp without it disintegrating, watch." I took another stamp out of the little folder I kept in my wallet and licked the back of it. I held it in the palm of my hand and giggled as its edges curled and then it began to flake and fall away.

"Cool. Can I have a go?" He reached for the little folder and I took another stamp off the roll before handing it to him.

"A dab of water will do it Bella." Esme told me and I smiled.

"Thanks." I went to the laundry room and put some water onto the stamp and stuck it into place.

By the time I came back to the living room Emmett had a pile of wasted stamps on the coffee table. They looked like a pile of white ashes. He was having a great time.

**EPOV**

Out of desperation I'd gone to the hospital with Carlisle when he'd left for his shift. I had nothing of significance to do today other than to meet with Renee in the evening to confirm all the honeymoon plans. I had no need to worry about that anymore, not now I wouldn't see Bella until Saturday, she couldn't read the plans from me now.

Running from the house this morning had been agonizing. It would've only taken a slight shift of my weight to steer me up the stairs instead of out the backdoor. But I'd done it, I'd run back to the cottage. Thankfully she'd called a little while later and I could sate my need for her with words. We'd pledged our love again and again throughout the conversation and I'd felt a little better by the time we'd hung up, promising to speak again later tonight.

Now I sat in Carlisle's office pouring over his patient files with him. He was writing up his notes from his rounds this morning, at the same time he was telling me silently about the patients I had in front of me. I was writing in his notes for those simultaneously. It was a routine we had perfected. A vampire brain was cavernous, easily able to do these two tasks at once.

I kept glancing at my watch and it finally got too much for Carlisle and he asked me what I was waiting for.

"Bella's charm to be delivered." I told him and he chuckled.

"Three to go I assume?"

"Yeah." I confirmed. "She said she'd text me when she got it."

"That one, Mrs Madison, that's anterior, not interior." He pointed out and I made the correction, happy to get back to work and stop dwelling on my situation.

**BPOV**

I left Emmett to his fun with the fast dwindling roll of stamps and went into the dining room where I found almost all our guests and the rest of the family.

Some were playing an elaborate game of cards that looked like it required more than one deck.

Some were writing out place cards in an elegant script not unlike Edward's.

Others had been roped into tying up the little gauze bags Alice had been fiddling with the other day.

I sat down next to Esme and she patted my arm fondly as she passed me todays charm delivery. I mouthed thank you and opened it quietly where I sat. I knew what it was going to be today. I'd had the eternity band and the engagement ring so I knew this was going to be a wedding band. I was right.

It was beautiful too. Smooth and perfectly round with tiny etchings inside it. The note was just as loving as ever and it made me miss him more. 'My darling Isabella, this is a copy of the band I will give to you in three days time. You'll complete my happiness and the unbroken circle will keep us together all the days of our lives. I love you totally, with all that I am, your Edward xx'

I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and thanked him, telling him I loved it and him.

"There was another delivery for you today Bella." Esme nodded towards the crowded sideboard and I saw three enormous flower arrangements in crystal vases.

"Oh my god, are they for me?" I gasped and she nodded.

All eyes turned to me as I went to read the cards. "Out loud please dear." Esme asked on cue.

I chose the white arrangement first. I plucked the card out and read it to the crowd, who seemed to be waiting with interest. "To my darling Isabella, Forgive me this ridiculous separation. I will be sure to make it my last ever mistake, though I am led to believe that wish is futile. All my love forever, Edward."

I listened to the men in the room laughing at Edward's words and joined in when I heard Garrett turn to Nathaniel and say he doubted it would be Edward's last mistake because every man, and vampire, knew that everything was always the mans fault anyway.

I took the card from the vase that held a dozen pale pink roses. I stooped to smell them and drank in their heady scent. Lovely.

I waited until the room fell silent once more and then I read the card. "To my baby, if you are a little girl then these roses are for you. If not, forgive your father his latest mistake. Tell your mother I love her and I'm sorry for being away from you both right now. All love, your father, Edward."

Esme's sob was the loudest but Tanya's matched it as the assembled crowd erupted into cheers for the dad-to-be's loving streak.

Me? I stood staring at the card and read it over and over, marveling at the depth of Edward's devotion to us both. It was a few minutes before the speculating behind me reached fever pitch and I was implored, loudly, to read the card from the pale lavender arrangement of roses.

"To my little boy, if you are indeed a little boy, these are for you. If you aren't, please appreciate them for the beauty they hold and not for the obvious mistake your father has just made, again. Please pass my love to your mother and ask her to forgive me for our absurd parting. All love, your father, Edward."

Again the room erupted and again Esme's sob was loudest.

**EPOV**

"I'll make sure someone delivers our luggage to you on Sunday." I told Renee as she put the tickets in my hand.

"Charlie has to work on Monday so it will be me who drives you two to the airport." She told me.

"Thank you Renee, but I don't mind leaving the car there for the week." I didn't want to impose on her time any more than was necessary, she'd already been so good about arranging it all for me.

"Nonsense. No point leaving a car there. I want to shop anyway, for the baby, so a few hours in Port Angeles will see me right." She said and went back to addressing the stack of envelopes in front of her. She noticed me watching, "Thank you notes, getting a head start." She shrugged and I smiled.

"Have you talked to her today?" I asked.

"No, not yet. I am going over there soon for her last dress fitting. She says she has something to show me." She searched my face but I was unwilling to give anything away. I knew Bella intended to show her mother her tattoo today. I was looking forward to hearing about Renee's response to that.

My cell phone beeped and I excused myself a moment to read it. I turned my back and let my smile come freely. She'd received the flowers!

Our guests began to arrive back at the cottage as the night closed in. I'd spent a few hours with Nathaniel talking about his early life and learning about how he grew.

Peter and Garrett were the first to return to the cottage but they'd been sworn to secrecy about the goings on at the main house so it was futile for me to ask, or delve into their thoughts.

Aro and Marcus returned with Renata in tow but were also doing their best to keep me out of their heads.

Their blocking techniques were varied and interesting.

I assumed they were keeping from me details of her dress, having seen her in it when she'd had her fitting maybe? Or perhaps the details of her conversation with Pastor Weber, Angela's father who was presiding over the ceremony? Renee's reaction to the tattoo? None of them would tell me anything and I again cursed the decision to exile myself.

I was asked to play so my evening was spent providing a makeshift recital for my guests. They lounged about the house in various states of repose while I played all that was requested of me, and then some.

It was blissful. The only thing that could make it perfect was the addition of my Isabella.

**BPOV**

Alice and Charlotte took me hunting in between Pastor Weber leaving and my mother coming for the dress fitting. Alice knew I was nervous about mom seeing my tattoo, but I had to tell her now, not wait for Saturday because if she had a fit I wanted it to be now, not then.

Pastor Weber was a nice man and he assured me that everything would go smoothly on Saturday. He'd read over my vows with me and I'd signed all his paperwork. I signed beside my mother and fathers signatures because they'd had to give their permission for me to marry Edward because I was under eighteen. I giggled as I thought about that, but the Pastor said nothing. He'd shaken my hand as he left and wished me good luck. He was a nice man, I liked him instantly just as I had Angela.

When Renee showed up she was eager to see what I had to show her so I wasted no time and took her up to our room. I sat her on the sofa and told her I'd done something before I was changed and that I wanted to show it to her before the wedding. It was obvious she was as nervous as I was.

I pulled the collar of my shirt down and showed her my tattoo. She gasped at first and stared at me with fire in her eyes and then she laughed.

She laughed!

"Oh is that all?" She panted as she stood up and undid her jeans. She pulled the right side down and showed me my fathers name tattooed on her hip! "Yours is a much nicer script though honey." She crowed and we both cracked up laughing.

I'd sat with her on my sofa for a while talking and laughing at how alike we were. The irony of that wasn't lost to either of us and we ended up having a much deeper, darker conversation than I'd first anticipated. She'd asked how I was coping with being a newborn. She wanted to know what it felt like. Was I worried about the baby? What I had planned to do about school. Where I stood with regard to Seth and how he was coping with what had happened that day. I asked her about Phil and she'd confided that she loved my father, again, and was planning to stay as long as he'd have her. She told me about the guilt she still felt for having left him alone all these years ago and while she'd really loved Phil and didn't regret marrying him, she knew her place had always been with Charlie. That it was Forks she'd run away from, not so much my father. She told me had Charlie offered to leave they'd probably still be married, just living somewhere else and that if Charlie had've chased her when she left she more than likely would've come back.

It was a lot to take in, for us both. But by the time I'd had the dress fitting and she left to go home to Charlie and her sister we each had a better understanding of each other. I was pleased to not have any secrets between us once again and I think she was pleased to tell me about the status of her relationship with Charlie.

At ten that night Jasper came to ask if I'd like to dance. I'd laughed and asked if he was still high, but he had been serious. Rose wanted me to have another practice before Saturday and she knew we'd not have time tomorrow, so it was now or never.

Reluctantly I let Jasper lead me back downstairs.

18 vampires stood in the living room, around the perimeter of it. All the furniture had been pushed back against the walls. Rose stood in the middle of the room and beckoned to me to join her for the first dance. Jasper handed me to her and the music began when Alice pushed the button on the little stereo.

For three hours I was whirled around that little makeshift dance floor by everyone in the house. The only ones I hadn't danced with were Edward and Nathaniel who were both at the cottage. I was surprised how good they all were, even Charlotte. Not surprisingly Aro was the best, being the oldest, but wasn't so much better than Liam who was very, very old too.

Jasper was the most fun though, as always. By the time it was mentioned that I should be allowed to head to bed it was 1am and the room was filled with twirling couples.

I bid them all good night and headed up the stairs. It was Rosie who sat with me that night. She lay on the bed next to me and sang along quietly to the music that was still playing downstairs, no doubt the dancing continued for much longer.

Alice came for me at 9am on Friday morning. We had appointments in town to keep at 10 so I was asked to be ready and waiting in the foyer by then.

After my shower I straightened our room and did my few chores then I phoned Edward. He answered on the very first ring.

"Isabella." He whimpered down the line.

"Oh Edward." I sobbed. "I miss you so much. I love you baby." I told him.

"I can't handle this. I need to see you. I'll meet you in the meadow, say you're going hunting and run through the woods past the lumber yard, I'll meet you there in an hour." He whispered.

"I can't Edward. I can't go anywhere without Alice, remember? She'll know and then I'll be in trouble." I pouted.

"Fuck." He yelled and I startled. "Sorry love, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm just so fucking frustrated. It's too long." He muttered and I completely agreed.

"It is too long. But there's only one more day. You'll be there, won't you Edward?" I tried to keep the panic out of my voice but he wasn't fooled in the least.

"Of course I fucking will. Jesus Bella, you've no idea how much I've wished these past days away. I don't want this anymore, I just want to be with you now. I need to feel you, taste you, smell you for Christ's sake. Nothing at the cottage smells like you yet, I hate it. I've rifled through your clothes here a dozen times but the scent is too feint." He sounded so lost, so sad. "I'll be there Bella. I swear to you I'll be there."

"Okay Edward. Alice is coming for me now, I have to go. I love you. Hang in there baby." I waited until he echoed my sentiments and then I broke the connection.

Ten minutes later Alice knocked but came in right away. She'd seen my idea long before I'd decided to actually do it, so she just held out her hand and waited. I kissed her lightly on her cheek said thank you and dropped the package into her hand. "I don't want to talk about it Bella. Don't say anything." She muttered and was gone.

**EPOV**

I could hear Alice before I smelled her. She came running to the door of the cottage and called out for me. I ran to her and she pushed a small wrapped package at me. "Don't ask and don't ever make mention of this ever again, agreed?" She screwed up her face and I nodded.

"Okay. Thanks, I think." I said, and then she was gone again.

I took the parcel into the master bedroom and sat down on the bed. I unwrapped the paper wrapping and saw that it was a piece of fabric inside a small zip locked plastic bag. Holy fucking white man. They were Bella's panties!

I tore the plastic apart and flared my nostrils. I couldn't help the growl that ripped its way out of my throat as her scent flooded my nose, my mouth and the room. These were new, the scent was fresh. She'd just taken these off, they were still warm. Oh. My. Fucking. God.

I held them to my nose unashamedly and drank her in. I was hard instantly and needed to be away from here, away from the eyes and ears of my guests. I threw open the glass doors that lead into the little courtyard, leapt the stonewall and fled into the forest.

As soon as the mental voices left my range I located a suitably tall tree and bounded up it as fast as I could. I had my cock in my hand in an instant. I came so hard the resultant roar frightened birds in trees two counties over.

**BPOV**

Alice had thrown me several 'looks' over the course of the morning but I did my best not to take too much notice. I knew she'd get over whatever her vision had shown her, eventually.

She was at a station to my left and slightly behind me so her 'looks' were thrown at me via the mirrors that faced us.

My hair stylist was named Stephan and he reminded me of Ricky Martin. Tall, Latino, waxed to within an inch of his life and very, very gay. That said, he was also very, very good at hair.

He was informed on our arrival that I was the bride and he'd set to work cutting and highlighting my hair with an air of importance about him.

Alice had booked the whole place out, of course. That meant that while I was waiting for the little timer to signal that my colorant was done I had had a manicure a pedicure and a facial. It would do nothing, of course, my skin would be forever flawless but Alice had said it would be relaxing for me and she'd been right.

I'd worried about my eyes so Alice had produced another pair of contacts. They wouldn't last long but long enough for the girl to do my facial at least. She commented once about the coldness of my skin but once I told her it was medical and I didn't like to talk about it she shut up and went back to work.

By the time we all left the eleven of us looked ready for a fashion shoot. Minus the fashion of course. I was still in jeans and a jersey. But my hair was lovely. He hadn't cut anything other than just the very ends but it was now a lovely chestnut colour. It wasn't too different to my natural colour but it was shiny and glossy and the curls seemed to sit better now that it had been cut. I didn't care really, it had just felt good to sit there and let them all work on me.

We didn't return to the house until two. By then the delivery van had been and gone. One of the boys had signed for everything and there were packages and parcels waiting for me in the dining room along with another arrangement of flowers. This time they were blood red. At least three dozen of them, the arrangement was so big it didn't fit in the usual crystal vase, this time it was in a large ceramic bowl.

They were from Edward, of course, but the card was way too intimate to read out to everyone, so despite the ribbing and begging I put it in my pocket. Lets just say Edward had appreciated my 'package' that had been delivered to him this morning and was using flowers to say thank you, for now. His note promised he'd show me how grateful he was tomorrow night. Oh dear.

**EPOV**

While the females had evacuated the house in order to spend the day being groomed us men had taken delivery of all the paraphernalia that went with hosting a wedding.

Chairs, tables, tents, linen a lectern and string after string of fairy lights all came out the back of a massive truck.

To Emmett and Jasper's delight another truck bought a giant crate of explosives. I didn't ask and the look Carlisle threw them very pointedly told them to keep it safe. They'd take no notice, of course. There were humans in Oregon that could attest to my brothers fascination with explosives, some of them were still being treated – at the Cullen's expense I might add – for hearing damage.

Alice had left written instructions where everything was supposed to be put and had phoned often to make sure we were all following those instructions to the letter. In the end some of them turned the ringers off on their phones. There would be hell to pay when she arrived home, but for me, that was fine because I was staying at the cottage!

I was long gone from the house before the women returned. I had to speak to Charlie before tomorrow so I was waiting at his house when he'd arrived from his last shift of the week. He greeted me warmly at the foot of his stairs but was silently asking if I was as nervous as he was.

"More." I admitted as he showed me inside.

I waited until he'd stowed his gun belt and his jacket and had put the kettle on for his coffee. He offered one to me, as he and Renee always did, and I politely declined, as I always did. He bought the cup to the table and sat down opposite me. "What's on your mind son?" He asked.

"I don't know where to start." I told him honestly, dropping my head into my hands in frustration.

"At the beginning might be good." He offered by way of suggestion.

"Indeed." I muttered. "I just wanted to tell you that I am so proud you think I'm good enough to marry your girl Charlie."

He thought on that for a few seconds. He took the time to form an answer in the negative but then switched back to positive before he spoke. "You'll find out one day soon how hard it is to let your child make their own decisions. If I had my way she'd be up in her room still plaiting the hair on her dolls, but that's not realistic." He conceded. "You're a good guy Edward, anyone can see that. And she loves you, so that helps. Just look after her, that's all I ask."

"Done." I told him. "I won't see you now until the ceremony." I said quietly.

"Nope, don't suppose you will." He replied.

"So I'll see you at the house tomorrow? Two o'clock right?" I asked, panicking a little.

"Spit it out Edward." He chuckled.

"I'm scared." I admitted with a shy laugh. "You will be there, won't you? You don't think she'll change her mind? If she does will you side with her, will you tell her to run?" It all came tumbling out and Charlie laughed long and loud while I sat with my head in my hands at his kitchen table.

When he'd had his fill of laughing at me he reached over and patted me on the shoulder. "You've got nothing to be scared of Edward. She isn't going to run and if she did I'd talk her out of it. You two are made for each other, despite all that singer business and the imprint thingy, if you had been human you'd both be right where you are now, getting married tomorrow. Go home Edward, I'll see you tomorrow, two o'clock, right?" He smirked.

"Right. Two o'clock dad." It was the first time I'd said it and his eyes lit up as it sunk in. He mouthed 'dad' once or twice then smiled at me warmly.

"I'll be the one in the stupid monkey suit." He muttered as he shut the door behind me.

**BPOV**

Today's charm parcel said I had to open it in private so I had secreted it away in my coat to read later when I was alone for the night.

There were other gifts that had arrived but Alice had put them all in the dining room on the console with the others that had been steadily arriving over the last few days.

All that was left for me to do today was to pack my things to move to the cottage. Alice had taken care of my luggage for the honeymoon and it was already downstairs. I had been allowed to add a few things to those bags but the bulk of what was in them was a mystery to me. Alice had said that if I knew what she'd packed the surprise of our destination would be gone and Edward was really looking forward to surprising me, so I'd given in and let her pack for me.

I was busily boxing up some clothes and books when Alice, Rose and Esme came up. They plonked themselves down onto the end of the bed and sat staring at me.

"What's up guys?" I asked tentatively.

They all looked at each other and started giggling quietly. "You're getting married tomorrow." Alice stated the bloody obvious.

"Yep. I had heard something about that actually." I laughed.

"So, I might have just seen something that might interest you." Alice said cryptically.

"And it will take three years for me to guess so best you spill." I told her. I went back to putting my books in the box and she huffed.

"What would you say if I told you that Edward, Emmett and Jasper have just broken into Mike Newton's parents shop and abducted Mike?" She giggled. Even Esme was laughing, it wasn't like her to be party to something like this.

"Oh my god, why did they do that?"

"His plan was to crash the wedding reception tomorrow night. I might have let slip to Edward that I'd seen something like that, and well, lets just assume that they've blind folded him and taken him for a little drive shall we." She was having trouble getting the words out through her laughter. Rose was snorting hysterically.

"Okay, but what will they do with him exactly Alice?" I didn't want them in any trouble with the law, the law being my father.

"I've spoken to Jaz, they're on their way back now, he says they only took him to Olympic Park and left him there. They swear they haven't hurt him. I haven't seen anything to the contrary, just that he's naked and gone with no way to get back. Should keep him busy until after the wedding anyway." She looked pretty happy with what they'd done, as did Rose and Esme, which worried me more.

All I could do was groan. What the fuck was I marrying into?


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter 57 I Was Home

**EPOV**

I'd never heard such a racket as the one we'd made on the return drive from Olympic Park. We'd laughed and hollered and laughed some more at Mikes plight. The stupid bastard had kicked and screamed for nearly an hour as Jaz had driven us there. Eventually Emmett had growled at him and told him if he didn't shut up we'd kill him and feed his body to wild animals. That shut him up for a while after that.

Then the begging began. At first he just bargained with money. He offered us ever-increasing amounts until he'd given that up and started offering to do whatever we wanted if we just let him go.

As the road got bumpy and we went further into the National Park he got scared, real scared and started thinking about shallow graves and shit.

Of course the three of us had absolutely no problems being totally silent the whole trip in the car, so the poor bastard was terrified by the time we reached a suitable dumping spot.

Jasper pulled into a little clearing and we dragged him out of the car. He pissed his pants when Jasper started undoing his fly to strip him. We told him – in sort of pseudo Al Pacino voices that really sucked quite badly - to count to ten thousand before he removed the blindfold, we told him we had people watching and we'd know if he did, and then he was free to do whatever he wanted. He'd asked what he'd done wrong to deserve this but we'd stayed quiet. Let the fucker worry about that for the next few years.

There was no way I was sitting in the car on the way back with piss stained pants so we threw them out the window halfway back.

Jasper phoned Alice and I got to thank her for the heads up. She asked what we'd done to him and Jasper had admitted it all. She made us promise to leave it at that, that he'd be alive and well when he got home at some point, we'd all promised.

Best fun I'd had in a decade, probably more.

**BPOV**

After the three not so wise monkeys left I sat down to open todays charm package. The parcel was thicker than it normally had been, so I knew todays was going to be a little different. The same little black satin pouch fell out and out of it came a tiny, solid gold yo-yo. I gasped when I saw it and instantly knew the significance of this one.

I tore the envelope open to get at the note and sobbed when I read it. This was why the parcel was thicker, it wasn't a note today, today it was a letter.

To my darling Isabella,

Tomorrow you will finally be Mrs Isabella Cullen and it will be the culmination of more than twelve years of longing on my behalf.

A yo-yo started it all, can you believe that? A tiny little yo-yo. A child's toy. You were so lovely as a child. All wide brown eyes and curly brown hair. It was no wonder you captivated me from the very beginning, even then, at five years old, I knew you were special.

Then I went through the agony of waiting for you. Waiting for you to be old enough for me to approach, to talk to, to make myself known to you. I was terrified I'd lose my best friend and you didn't even know who I was back then.

The night I told you what I was was one of the greatest nights of my life. That you accepted me, loved me regardless. It took my breath away.

It was only eclipsed by the day you said you'd marry me. Nothing could compare to the surge of pride, of possession, of desire and love I felt the instant you whispered yes.

It doubled when we found out you were going to have my child. That still amazes me. Only you Isabella, only you could be special enough, smart enough, clever enough to do what everyone always thought was impossible. You'll give me what our kind has searched for for eons, a family.

I cannot love you more than I already do. I cannot desire you more than I already do. I cannot want you more than I already do. But am fully prepared to try.

Meet me at the altar tomorrow, two o'clock. I'll be the one wearing the suit. Marry me Isabella.

There are no words to tell you how much I love you so will stick with what I can say, I love you, forever.

Edward xx

P.s. I've left something for you in my bedside drawer.

I couldn't help but run to it. There, amongst his papers and things was the yo-yo. It had a pink ribbon tied around it but I knew it was **the** yo-yo. He'd kept it. He'd gotten it somehow when I'd been finished with it, I'd probably discarded it long ago, but he'd kept it all these years.

I was dialing before I knew it.

"Hello love." He whispered when he answered.

"Thank you, thank you. You're perfect. I love you. I love you." I told him in a choked sob.

"As I love you. Get some sleep. I'll see you at the altar." And he was gone before I could cry any more.

**EPOV**

I couldn't talk to her, it hurt too much, so I'd told her I loved her and hung up. I sat in the little winged chair at the cottage and put my head in my hands. Nathaniel was asleep, it was after midnight already, but the others were still outside talking.

I needed a little bit to myself so I'd come inside to be alone.

Aro and Marcus had taken it in turns to come check on me, they were thinking I was having some sort of mental breakdown I was so sullen. Eventually Renata had told them to leave me alone, that I just needed some time in my own company and I'd thanked her profusely. After that they left me to myself.

In the end I decided to play. I started with her lullaby and the room soon filled up with my guests as they sat and listened intently, again. As the sun came up over the river I ended the recital as I'd begun, with Bella's lullaby.

I was given a standing ovation as I excused myself from the living room.

I was getting married today.

**BPOV**

Someone was stroking my hair. I knew better than to hope it was Edward. Besides, if it were Edward he'd be doing a lot more than playing with my hair after three days apart!

"Good morning Miss Swan." Carlisle crooned.

"Good morning dad." I whispered. "It's my last day being Miss Swan." I said with a big smile.

"It sure is. I've been sent to get you up. Lots to do today apparently." He chuckled and got up off the side of the bed.

I looked at the clock and saw that it was already 10. Alice would be having a fit right about now I figured.

"Don't panic. Alice said to let you sleep as long as possible, and you have been sleeping for quite long hours haven't you?" He asked and I realized he had switched back to doctor mode somewhere in the middle of his sentence.

"Yeah. Eight hours just now." I admitted.

"Stands to reason, you've only got four and a bit weeks left to go, so it's to be expected. May I?" he picked my weight chart up off the coffee table and I nodded. He sat down and began to study it and I excused myself for a quick shower. He said he'd wait.

He was still sitting there when I returned but now he had a package in his lap as well as my charts.

"Emmett bought this back from the cottage, it's from Edward. If you're okay I'll leave you now and see you at the ceremony?" He posed it as a question and I nodded.

"I'm fine, really. I'll see you then. And thanks for everything dad." I kissed him on his cheek and he smiled.

I took the parcel with me downstairs to greet everyone on my wedding day. I was getting married today!

**EPOV**

It was only eleven o'clock but I'd been pacing for what felt like a week.

Emmett and Jasper were playing poker in the living room, they were supposed to be teaching Aro but the older man had no patience for it and was busy trying to pick Jasper's 'tells' instead.

Marcus and Peter had gone off for a run. Marcus could be quite competitive and Peter was yet to try his luck at beating him. Garrett and Maggie hadn't been seen since the night before, they were no doubt holed up somewhere quiet. I had no doubt they'd be back in time for the ceremony.

I hadn't spoken to Bella yet and hoped she'd call once she'd opened my presents. She had better, I was going out of my mind.

I heard Carlisle's mental voice before his scent hit my nostrils so I flew out the front door to meet him on the path. "What did she say? Is she okay? Did you check her over today yet?"

He laughed and told me she was fine, that he'd left the package with her but hadn't stayed to watch her open it. He said he'd come down for a shower and to get ready so I left him to it and went back to pacing. This time in the front yard for a little variety.

**BPOV**

Alice had borne my father off to get him ready first saying that the men took no time at all and that would leave her more time to sort me out after. I didn't mind either way.

She was already ready. Her hair was sleeked back into tiny pin curls and her make up was flawless. Rose too was ready except for the dress. Her hair had been left long but it had been curled lightly, softening her features. Her make up was more dramatic than Alice', but no less flawless.

Esme was dressed and ready. She was busy directing the caterers and the florist. Every now and then she'd confer with Alice but mostly Esme had a handle on what was going on in the house and outside on the decking.

With everyone busy and the only male who was allowed in the house today – Charlie – being busy with Alice that left me free reign to sit and open my gift from Edward.

I swear to god that female vampires can hear the sound of wrapping paper being torn from a hundred feet because the instant I started tearing the paper they came running.

They sat where they could. Some on the sofa, some on the floor some on the glass stair runners. They were totally silent as I opened the package.

I pulled an acre of silver wrapping paper from it and then I held in my hand three velvet boxes in descending smaller sizes and a small black satin pouch.

"Oh it's jewelry. Good man." Siobhan said in appreciation.

"Do the charm first, lets see your bracelet finished." Charlotte called from her spot on the stairs.

I flipped the lip on the pouch and out fell a little gold loop with three bright stones attached to it. They didn't mean anything in particular to me but I knew the note would tell me what they meant to Edward.

"Out loud." Esme reminded me.

"To my darling Isabella, I have chosen today to finish your charm bracelet. It holds all the significant pieces that make you special to me. That make you mine. Please add this last charm and close the circle on our love. It's whole now. The dark sapphire is your birthstone Isabella and it means the most to me because without you I could never be happy. The Alexandrite is my birthstone and the Garnet will be our baby's birthstone. Now the bracelet is complete. When you become my wife later today our love will be complete. When our baby is born our lives will be complete. I love you beautiful girl. Edward."

I closed my eyes and thought back over what he'd said and I smiled. It was true. Now it was complete. The circle was done, every loop had a charm.

The three boxes stumped me. I had no idea what they held or why I had been given so many gifts today. I would've been satisfied with the charm, especially since it was the one charm left to complete it.

There was a card taped to the top of the small box so I began with that.

"I have to open the smallest one first this says. Here goes." I creaked open the lid and smiled. It was a gold brooch with a single pearl in the centre. It was lovely. I could tell it was very old. Even though it had been cleaned and restored it still had the patina of old gold. "The note says. To dear Isabella, This was my grandmothers so it's very, very old. She gave it to my mother on her wedding day and I just know she would have given it to you on our wedding day. It's yours, as it should always have been. With love and devotion. Edward."

The women all swooned suitably and then I was begged to hurry up and open the next one. This one was bigger, heavier too. I held my breath while I opened it and gasped when I saw the contents. "Oh my god." My mother cried as she got her first look at the bandeau inside.

It was a halo shaped band and it was made entirely out of pearls. It was four rows wide and it was separated into smaller sections by a three row wide band of diamonds. It was exquisite. I took the note that was inside the box. "To my darling Isabella, Alice told me you'd need something to wear in your hair. Please accept this today, our wedding day, as my gift to you. I love you and can't wait to be your husband, Edward."

It was incredible. I couldn't stop running my fingers over the smooth pearls. It was so beautiful.

Alice was shrieking about how brilliant it was, how it would match the style of the dress perfectly, how absolutely brilliantly he'd chosen. The box was passed from hand to hand and everyone in the room had a turn to hold it, feel it and to hold it aloft and imagine it sliding into their hair. I was the envy of the entire room by the sound of it.

Esme came to stand behind me and whispered that I should open the last box. Time was cracking on and Alice would need me soon. I nodded and tore the envelope open to retrieve the card that was with the largest of the boxes.

"Open the box first." Alice called. "You need to see it so the explanation makes sense." She giggled.

"Trust Edward to give her something that needs an explanation." Rose yelled and everyone fell about.

Calls of 'here here' and 'too right' were heard as I slowly lifted the lid on the last box.

"Holy shit!" Tanya shrieked as the necklace was exposed to everyone.

"Oh my god." I whispered to myself. "What has he done?" it was a question but it wasn't posed to anyone in particular and nobody answered.

While the room was fogged in stunned silence I pulled the thick gold rope out of its box and ran my hand over the giant stones set along it. They were fat, brilliant white, round diamonds and they were set along the length of the chain at measured intervals. In the middle of the diamonds hung the biggest pink diamond I had ever seen. It was the size of a golf ball and it was incredible. It threw light off it from every angle and it made every woman in the house gasp at the sight of it.

"The card dear." Esme suggested.

"Oh right, sorry." I put the necklace back in the box while I read the card. "For my wife on our wedding day, Along this string is a diamond for every year that I've loved you. There is no jeweler who could set the number of stones needed to express how long I intend to love you from here on in. The fat little beauty in the middle is for the baby you will give me Isabella, and it's the only gift greater than the one you're bestowing on me today. Meet me at the altar beautiful girl, let me love you forever. Your devoted husband into eternity, Edward."

It was staggering. That's the only way I could describe it. Staggering. I'd never seen anything like it and I dared I never would again. I wanted to wear it today but it wouldn't suit my dress.

"Wear it tonight Bella." Alice whispered and I nodded in agreement. As soon as I'd changed out of my wedding dress I'd put it on for him.

**EPOV**

"Come inside Edward, its time to get dressed." Carlisle came for me at one o'clock. I'd been sitting on the stone wall in the back courtyard since Carlisle had come back from the house. I'd had no message from Bella and I'd been prevented from sending her one by whomever the bastard was who'd hidden my phone.

I followed Carlisle into what was about to become my marital bedroom and went in for a quick shower. I'd already showered and shaved once today but I needed to waste a bit more time and it wouldn't hurt to be extra clean and extra smooth today of all days.

When I came out of the bathroom my suit was laying on the bed, my shoes and socks in a neat pile on the floor.

I took my time and did it all methodically. By the time Carlisle knocked I was trying to tie my tie.

"Come in, this fucker won't do up properly." I snarled as he came in. Either my fingers were knackered or the fucking tie was a dud.

"Let me." He stood in front of me and tied the perfect knot within seconds. "There." he said matter of factly, trying desperately to stifle his chuckle. "I've not seen you this rattled Edward, it rather suits you son."

"I'd say thank you but for some reason get stuffed seems to fit better, dad." I emphasized the chuckle and the dad, he got the joke.

We wore identical suits. Full morning dress in a dark charcoal color. It was unorthodox for the 'father of the groom' as he was known to humans to be the best man, but to me he was not only my best friend but he was my father and my sire. Nobody could be a better best man.

At certain points over the last century we'd all had a turn to stand up for each other at weddings. I'd been Carlisle's best man when he'd married Esme the first time and he in turn had been both Emmett's and Jaspers best man at various times too. My siblings were fond of getting married and whenever the chance came about they took it.

So Carlisle and I were dressed the same today. Full frock coat, waist coat and tails. Crisp white shirts and grey ties. Matching charcoal dress pants and black patent shoes. Carlisle looked fantastic, his blonde hair lending perfectly to the darkness of the suit.

I let Carlisle attached the button hole of white roses above my coat pocket and we both stood back to see the full effect on each other.

With a curt nod to each other we went out into the little living room.

Emmett and Jasper were wearing the same suit though theirs were not frock coats. They would wear the shorter style jacket and they had been planning something sneakily for weeks regarding their shoes, something I was not privy to, which bothered me.

They looked good in their suits and ties. Very smart. I noticed neither of them had bitched about having to wear a suit today, the girls would've been proud.

Then I caught sight of the shoes.

"Oh fuck, you retards. Alice is going to kill you bastards." I laughed.

They stood side by side and lifted the leg of their pants showing off their bright silver sneakers. Not just silver, shiny silver, like a mirror finish. Complete with bright silver laces. Carlisle snorted with laughter and soon the guests had come in to see what the commotion was about.

Then there were ten male vampires laughing their heads off in the tiny room.

"We ordered them special, so we'd match the girls dresses." Jasper was saying between choked laughs.

"Alice is going to shit, but we don't care. We did it for you Eddie. We knew you'd appreciate the gesture." Emmett clapped me on the back.

"I tell you what Em, they are so good I'll let you away with calling me Eddie just this once." I couldn't help the bark of laughter that came out of my mouth. I'd been so tense, so curled up with anxiety for so many days now that it felt unbelievably good to let go for a few minutes.

It was short lived. All at once a dozen alarms went off. Cell phone alarms, wall clocks, waistcoat pocket watches and wristwatch alarms.

"Time to go get you married little brother." Emmett bellowed, clapping me on the back.

My stomach clenched.

**BPOV**

I was poked, prodded, crimped, curled, pushed pulled and fussed over for two solid hours. I'd had enough and thankfully they were done.

Alice had slipped my dress over my head being very careful not to mess my hair or get make up on it.

"Take a minute to get settled Bella. I'll be back." She patted my arm and left the room.

I stood in front of the mirror that hung on the back of the door in her closet and looked at myself. It was hard to believe that it was really me. I looked like someone else.

The dress was perfect, despite my little belly. The underwear Alice had found held me in pretty well and other than a tiny little belly bump nobody would ever guess that I was essentially six months pregnant. Of course the cut of the dress helped.

It had been copied from an authentic 1930's wedding gown and it was stunning, even on me. It was an ivory color, not white, which I thought would have been too stark with my skin tone and not exactly morally correct.

It was beaded with tiny seed pearls and diamantes on a wide band that went from my shoulders down the scooped neckline before crossing over between my breasts and then flowed down over my hips. The beaded section crossed again at my lower back and then swept down to the floor and created a little train at my feet.

The back of the dress was my favorite part. From the beaded band on my shoulders it fell in a deep scoop down my back, leaving most of me exposed. The material gathered at my waist and fell to sit just above the beading that met above my butt.

I'd loved it the first time I'd seen it and I loved it still even after all the alterations poor Alice had had to make to accommodate the baby.

I had Edward's bandeau in my hair, Alice had attached my veil to it, so it now sat against my dark brown hair as it fell in waves across my shoulders and down my back, just as Edward preferred it to. The veil was long, it touched the ground and then flowed out behind me for about six feet. At first I'd thought it was going to be too much, but now that I was ready I really like the effect.

I took a deep breath and called Alice back in. She came back in, gave my hand one last squeeze and called my mother into the room. "Now you have your something blue, your lovely earrings, your halo is new and you have your something old, your brooch but you still need something borrowed." She giggled slightly then bent over and took off a pale pink garter from around her thigh.

I giggled as she knelt down and slipped it over my shoe and up my own leg.

"There, something borrowed, I'll need that back tonight, it's Jaz' favorite part of weddings." She winked.

When my mother came in she started bawling straight away. "Oh Bella you look so beautiful. Oh my." She folded me into a tight hug and I held my breath as her scent washed down my throat.

"Thanks mom, so do you." I told her honestly. Her dress really was beautiful even though it was much more modern than Esme's. It was black too, which was beginning to be popular for weddings. It was a dress and lace jacket like Esme's though the jacket on Renee's was a mix of black and gold lace that matched the gold flecks in the bodice of the dress. It fell to mid calf and was modest for Renee. I was relieved. Rose had done a lovely job with her hair too. She had it piled up on the top of her head and snaky tendrils fell about her cheeks and neck softly. She was stunning. Charlie was going to choke.

Esme came in next and tried hard to stifle her sob before leaving again to get the photographer.

Alice bought me out into her bedroom and there I stood, for the first and last time, ready to get married.

Alice and Rose ducked into Alice' closet to put their dresses on while the photographer took some shots of me on the sofa by the windows. Then the two girls came to sit by me and more shots were taken.

I'd asked for some with both my mothers and they were taken out on the landing with the high ceiling as a backdrop.

Some more group shots were taken in our room and then I was waiting for my father to come to collect me for the ceremony.

As long as the last few days had felt it now seemed to have flown by. It was really happening. I was going to be his wife in a few short minutes.

Charlie came up the stairs and met me on the first floor landing. He sucked in a giant breath and I saw the tears well in his eyes as he looked me over from head to toe. "Oh my god Bella, you're so beautiful. Just like your mother was." He whispered, kissing me on my cheek. "I love you honey. I'm so proud of you." He told me as he tucked my hand into the crook of his arm.

"Thanks dad, I love you too." I whispered as we made our way down the last flight of stairs.

Alice met me at the bottom step and handed me my bouquet. "Ready?" She asked me and I nodded.

**EPOV**

She was late, of course. I could smell her though, she was here, in the house. I had been told to stop looking at my watch so instead I concentrated on the assembled crowd. I did my best to mask my nerves, knowing she could read me while I was this close to her.

The rows of white chairs stretched across the lawn in two neat divisions. I'd walked up the aisle and had been greeted warmly by people on either side of it. All the wolves were there, in suits no less, and Seth had jumped up and shaken my hand firmly wishing me the best of luck. I'd thanked him and as I continued on down the rows I saw a sight I never expected.

Billy Black sat at the end of the next row, in his wheelchair. He tilted his head to me as I passed his row. _'Congratulations Edward Cullen._' He thought as I went by.

I looked forward but wasn't at all surprised to see that Phil had not changed his mind. The front row was still empty on the brides side. Renee would slide in in a moment and then Charlie once the ceremony got going, but I was still disappointed that Phil had let her down.

Carlisle was waiting for me at the altar and I walked to him with my shoulders held back proudly. He was beaming at me as I approached. I shook his hand and we turned to face the crowd to wait for my bride.

We stood for a few minutes and looked over those who had come to share this with us. Everyone I loved was here. Every mental voice was filled with good wishes, congratulations and love.

And then Rose began to play.

Carlisle put his hand on my shoulder and I readied myself to see her for the first time in four days.

Nothing could've prepared me for the sight I saw as they came through the glass doors and out into the yard. Alice looked so beautiful in her silver dress. She looked taller, more statuesque as she walked carefully down the red-carpeted aisle towards us. She blew me a kiss as she passed me and then went to stand on the other side of the altar.

And then I saw her. She'd come.

She was smiling widely, her lips a glossy red. Her eyes were brown, topaz, and lighter even than I remembered from a few short days ago. She wore no contact lenses.

The dress was perfect. She was glorious. She'd worn the bandeau! Her hair was a dark cloud of curls and in it sat my bandeau. My mothers sapphires at her ears and my locket around her neck.

Charlie looked proud and walked with his back straight and his head held high.

And then she was there, by my side. Charlie put her hand into mine and I felt the jolt of electricity spark between us and I was home.

**BPOV**

He was there, he'd come.

'_Thank you…thank you…I love you...only you…only ever you Isabella.' _Edward was thinking as I turned to face him for the first time.

I couldn't take my eyes from his face as my dad walked me up the aisle. When Charlie put my hand in Edward's and I felt the familiar sting of electricity I knew I was where I belonged. Here, beside him. Always.

I was home.


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter 58 Wedded Bliss

**EPOV**

It was our families that clapped and cheered loudest when the preacher announced we were now man and wife and I took her in my arms and kissed my wife for the first time.

I couldn't stop chanting thank you in my mind as I tasted her beautiful lips again. I lost myself in the kiss and it wasn't until Carlisle clapped me on the shoulder that my thoughts returned to the gathered crowd.

I put my forehead to Bella's, "I love you so much Mrs Cullen," I whispered.

"I love you too Edward." She replied and then I turned us to face the aisle and I led us back up it and through the doors into the house.

"Give them a few minutes." Carlisle asked of everyone and the door was politely shut as we went through it.

I took her into the dining room – it was the only room on the ground floor that couldn't be seen directly into from the decking or the yard – and pulled her to me against the wall.

I kissed all over her face, her neck, her throat. She clutched at me and dug her fingers into my shoulders and back as she pulled my mouth onto her harder.

"Oh god Edward, I can't be without you again," she whimpered as I buried my lips into her throat.

"You won't, not ever." I told her as I kissed my way back to her mouth. I plunged my tongue between her lips and was met with hers. I pulled her to me harder and gripped her ass with my hands. "I want you so badly." I growled into her open mouth then plunged my tongue in again.

She curved herself up against me, pushing into me as hard as she could. I could smell her. I couldn't stifle the growl and I had to let her lips go to let it out of my throat lest I frighten her. She wound her fingers into my hair and pulled my mouth back to hers. I was just deciding where I could take her for something a little less PG when Alice began calling for us to please come back outside.

I groaned my displeasure into Bella's hot little mouth and felt her sigh at the same time. With one last kiss I let her go and stood away slightly, trying to reign in my desire. Fat fucking chance!

**BPOV**

I wanted so badly to just forget the rest and go with him to our room and lock ourselves in but I knew we'd upset so many people if we did. One look at Edward and I knew he was feeling the same. Even without the ability to read his thoughts I'd know he was feeling as desperate as I was.

He ran a hand through his hair and straightened is gorgeous coat. He waited while I smoothed out the skirt of my dress and then he took my hand. He kissed my fingers and made a point of kissing my brand new wedding ring.

"I love you Mrs Cullen." He whispered. He seemed to like saying my new name as much as I liked hearing it. I was about to reciprocate the sentiment when he pulled my wedding ring off my finger, eliciting a snarl that I couldn't control.

He laughed lightly and held the ring up to my eyes. There was something etched into it.

I took it from his fingers and looked closer. There was a wavy pattern around the band; it wasn't smooth like I thought it would be. "What is that Edward?" I asked questioningly as he took his own ring off and handed it to me too. I looked at it and it was engraved with a similar pattern, though the ridges on his were not as deep as the ones on mine. "What is it?" I asked again.

"Fingerprints." He whispered into my ear, blowing warm air into it and making me shiver. "I had your fingerprint etched onto mine and mine etched onto yours. You're mine Bella." He growled into my ear and I felt my knees weaken with want.

"Our fingerprints? Are you serious? Oh my god." I whispered. It was mind blowing the lengths he'd gone to to bind us together. I would forever wear his fingerprint on my hand!

Alice knocked on the wall behind my head by way of a warning and then she came into the dining room. She looked embarrassed to interrupt us. "I'm so sorry but we can't start the party without the guests of honour." She smiled up at Edward who nodded. "I know you want to be alone but please, indulge us a little longer? Please?"

"Okay Alice." We agreed at the same time. We each slipped our wedding rings back on to the other and we went outside, hand in hand, to greet our guests properly.

A loud cheer went up as we went through the glass doors. Emmett announced the arrival of Mr and Mrs Cullen and the cheer rent the air again.

**EPOV**

I couldn't stop saying it. I introduced her to everyone, anyone who stood still long enough to listen, was introduced to my wife, Isabella Cullen. I could hear their thoughts as I said it and didn't care that I was being smug.

After an endless round of introductions, I was clapped on the back a hundred times and all and sundry had kissed my new wife we were sat at the long white draped tables for the customary meal and speeches. Alice and Esme had been smart and had planned a smorgasbord for the meal so it wouldn't be so obvious to those humans in attendance that we didn't eat. A plate was put in front of us, but we touched nothing.

When it looked as though the humans and wolves had had their fill Carlisle stood beside me and tapped his glass. Those gathered began to quiet down and Carlisle turned to us both and began his speech.

"I have the dual honour to be the best man tonight and also the grooms father. He too is my best friend. We've spent a lifetime confiding in each other and I hope to now do the same with his lovely bride." A murmur of appreciation swept across the lawn as everyone clapped and cheered his words. "I'd like to take this opportunity to officially welcome Isabella to our family and to also welcome the Swan family to our household." He raised his glass to where Renee and Charlie sat and a cheer was raised as everyone toasted the Swan's. "If you'll turn your attention to your place card you'll see the Cullen crest. The hand is a pledge of faith, sincerity and justice and I'm so happy to have shared today with my son as he has pledged his faith to Bella. The lion has always represented strength, courage and bravery but to us it also symbolizes the ferocity with which we protect our own. I know that Edward will spend his lifetime protecting the love he shares with Bella. Can I ask you all to be upstanding as we toast the happy couple. To Edward and Bella." The toast was echoed around the room and I leant over and kissed Bella at the corner of her mouth as everyone retook their seats.

Carlisle shook my hand as he sat back down. He nodded to Charlie who stood in his seat at a table to our right. "On behalf of the brides family I'd like to thank you all for sharing this happy day with us. I'd like to welcome Edward to our family and to extend the same welcome to all the Cullen's. Please raise your glasses and toast the Cullen's." Again the toast was echoed. Charlie took a long pull of his drink and took a deep breath. "My beautiful daughter." He choked back a little sob and all the women in the crowd smiled indulgently at him. "You are so lovely, we've always been so proud of you. Congratulations and we hope you'll both be very happy together. To the happy couple." Another toast was had and then it was Alice' turn.

I felt Bella stiffen as Alice stood beside her. Alice had her moments but I knew she'd be respectful because she loved Bella with all her heart. "It is my honor to toast the brides parents tonight. Can I ask you to raise your glasses in thanks to Charlie and Renee Swan." A mighty cheer went up from the gathered wolves and a toast was duly had. Alice turned slightly so she was facing us a little. "Thank you so much for bringing Bella into our lives big brother. She was meant for you as surely as you were meant for her and we can all see for ourselves the depth of your devotion to each other. It is my wish for you that you both live a long, healthy life filled with love and laughter. Please accept my good wishes on your marriage. To the happy couple." She cried at the end and another mighty roar went up.

At this rate they'd all be drunk before the speeches were finished.

Carlisle put his hand on my shoulder as the guests returned their voices to a dull whisper and I knew it was my turn. I took a second to steady myself and then I stood.

**BPOV**

I knew he was nervous because his leg had been jumping under the table since Alice had sat down.

As he stood he took with him my left hand and he began to turn my wedding ring around my finger. He smiled down at me and then he began. "On behalf of my new wife I'd like to thank everyone for being here to share this momentous day in our lives. We love you all very much." Everyone raised their glasses and drank at his thanks. "Thank you to my parents and to both Renee and Charlie for all their support and encouragement these past few months. We'll strive to make you proud at every turn." He raised his glass to first Esme and Carlisle and then to my parents, who returned his salute with wide smiles. "To my brothers and sisters, thank you for putting up with me these past few weeks as I counted down to this day. I know I was unbearable, I promise to be better now." They all laughed and someone called out 'lose the emo', which only made them all laugh louder.

"I'll certainly try." Edward nodded towards where the comment came from and then continued on, "To my beautiful bride all I can say is thank you. Thank you for saying yes. Thank you for saying I do and thank you for giving me this monumental chance to make you happy for the rest of your life. All that I have is yours. I love you on into eternity. Please raise your glass to my lovely bride. To Isabella." He raised his glass and the yard was suddenly lit up by hundreds of fireworks and a loud bang as they exploded, showering the whole area in bright white sparks.

A collective gasp went up as they soared into the air above the river and split off in all directions.

While the fireworks did their magic Edward took me into his arms and kissed me soundly. _'I love you Bella…forever…and even longer than that.' _He told me silently as he traced my bottom lip with his tongue.

**EPOV**

As the smoke cleared from the fireworks display the first strains of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah chorus began. I stood and asked Bella if she'd dance with me. She smiled and nodded demurely.

I took her into my arms on the small dance floor and began to move us around the floor. I began to chuckle when she followed without me needing to lead. She'd been practicing!

"Rose." She whispered and suddenly it all made sense. That's why she'd been sequestering herself away in secret with Rose. I scanned the group watching and could tell which of them were in on the surprise. They were all silently hoping Bella would remember all they'd taught her. She did them proud.

"You're perfect." I told her as we danced. And then I noticed the voice that was singing. Could it be? I listened intently as the chorus built to its crescendo. "Oh my god. Is it?" I asked her quietly and she nodded.

It was Esme, singing. I searched the crowd and found her. She looked nervous and embarrassed. I mouthed thank you and she put her hand to her heart. I kept Bella's hand in mine, turned us so that we were both facing where Esme sat and then put both our clasped hands over my heart. The vampires in attendance knew whose voice it was but the wolves and humans remained unaware, and from Esme's thoughts that's just how she'd hoped it would remain.

Carlisle took Esme by the hand and led her to the floor at the same time that Charlie and Renee joined us. As parents of the bride and groom they were traditionally next to dance so the three couples twirled and twisted for a few moments before my brothers and sisters joined us. I felt the first tap on my shoulder and grimaced. It had been too short. The song had faded and now I was being cut in on. I turned to see who was going to be first and found Seth smiling widely at me.

"May I dance with the bride?" He asked and I bowed slightly letting him take her into his arms.

I moved to Carlisle and Esme and tapped my father on the shoulder. He too bowed slightly and soon I was dancing with my mother. Carlisle swapped with Charlie and Charlie swapped with Jasper. Jasper swapped with Emmett and Emmett swapped with Peter.

Before long everyone was on the floor dancing.

Partners were swapped back and forth over and over.

At ten we were asked to stand behind the plinth that held the cake while the photographer took photos of it still intact. We were told to make a wish and a collective sigh was heard as we sliced through the bottom layer cleanly. I bent to kiss her and told her my wish had already come true today.

I spun Bella back onto the dance floor and growled quietly at any would be suitor who attempted to cut in this time.

My brothers were the first to slip away. We were approaching midnight and I knew they had another pyrotechnics display planned. Nathaniel, Peter, Liam and Garrett slipped away next and as they ran to the river to help light the fuses I ushered Bella off the dance floor and took her to the edge of the yard, into the shadows of the trees.

A loud countdown was begun by Sam and all and sundry counted in the New Year. As the first explosion rent the air I bent and kissed my wife. _'Happy New Year Mrs Cullen.'_ I told her as she melted in my arms.

**BPOV**

Unfortunately Alice found us all too soon once the fireworks were finished. She asked us to please come back to the party as the photographer would be leaving soon and there were more group photos that needed taking.

Reluctantly we followed her back to the decking. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw Emmett and Jasper sitting on elegantly matched white linen draped chairs, cheeky grins on their faces, their pant legs drawn up, the photographer kneeling on the deck taking pictures of their shiny silver trainers!

Alice was scowling off to one side.

Half an hour later we said our goodbyes to the photographer who promised to have proofs for us to look over by the time we returned from our honeymoon in one weeks time.

The music was restarted then and the dancing began again. This time in a more relaxed way. The music was more modern although some chose to dance to it as we had previously. This included Edward who pulled me into his arms, ignoring the grating beat of the drums, and bore me of into a twirling waltz once again.

Angela and Ben were dancing now too and they stopped by us for a few seconds to say hi and to congratulate us again.

We accepted more congratulations as oddly matched pairs danced by. My father and Siobhan. Esme and Sam Uley. Billy Blacks' daughter Rebecca and Aro. Emmett and Jasper. Aargh. They were a pair of clowns those two!

When Alice and Liam danced past me on their second turn around she whispered that it was time for me to go upstairs to change. Edward bowed lowly and thanked me for the dance and I was ushered upstairs by both Rose and Alice.

I was pleased to get out of my dress and into some normal underwear and let my belly out. I giggled as Rose and Alice stared at my now bulging tummy as I slipped on some new panties. "God you've grown." Rose commented as they took my dress and hung it on a hanger.

"I know. Check it out." I turned side on and they both gasped.

"How in hell did you hide that?" Rose asked and I giggled.

"Painfully." I admitted. "Come, feel." I told them and they both stood either side of me, a hand each on my tummy. It wasn't long before he began to roll and kick against their hands. They gasped and sighed, giggled and sobbed as he put on quite the show for them.

"Amazing." Rose whispered as she withdrew her hand. "I still can't believe it, you know?"

"I know, neither can I some days." I told her honestly.

"Can you see the baby yet Alice?" Rose asked but Alice shook her head.

"Hybrid, too hard to see. He, or she, is too wrapped up in there, I can see Bella, but not the baby." She grimaced in frustration. "Lets get you dressed momma to be."

I knew my going away outfit would be more comfortable because we'd bought it after I'd found out I was pregnant so there would be no fighting over appropriate underwear under this one, this one was built for comfort.

They held the dress out for me and I stood into it and let them pull it up over my arms. It had an empire waist so it hid a myriad of sins including the one growing in my belly. It was dark blue and fell to just above my knees. The bodice was completely plain which lent itself perfectly to the necklace Edward had given me as a wedding present. Alice fetched it from its box and as I slid it on for the first time it's weight registered. It weighed a ton! Of course it wouldn't matter to me, but the weight of the stones was monumental, I probably wouldn't be able to fathom the cost of something like that.

Both girls eyed it appreciatively as I let it settle into place at my throat. I fingered the central diamond and then let it fall to my skin.

"It's gorgeous." Rose whispered.

"It is." I agreed.

Alice bought me some matching blue peep toed heels and I slid them on. The girls prepared to take me back downstairs but instead I went to the sofa and sat.

"Come and sit with me a minute." I asked of them. With quizzical looks they complied and Alice sat beside me, Rose perched on the coffee table. I put the silver wrapped presents in each of their laps and smiled. "Thank you for everything. Today was perfect. I love you both so much. I'm so happy to have such wonderful sisters."

"Oh Bella." Alice hugged me tightly and began to tear at the wrapping paper.

Rose sat, mouth agape, but then she leaned over and pulled me to her. "I love you too sister." She whispered quietly before sitting back up and sliding a finger under the ribbons on the parcel.

I watched, eager to see their reactions, as they each pulled a long rope of pearls out of their packages. Identical diamond drops hung from the centre and they both gasped as they ran them through their hands. I guessed that meant they liked them?

I got my answer when they flung themselves onto me and hugged me till I squealed for mercy!

**EPOV**

They'd been gone for twenty minutes and I was at my limit. I was desperate to be away now.

Nobody had any intention of winding the party down but I wanted to be away to the cottage as soon as possible. Carlisle knew of my frustration, he'd not left my side since the girls had borne Bella off to change.

I could hear their conversation of course, and I chuckled when I heard Alice retrieve her garter and slip a new one into Bella's hand. They returned, arm in arm. My sisters had ditched their shawls and now wore a rope of pearls around their necks proudly, their smiles were wide as they deposited my wife before me. She was stunning in her blue gown, my wedding present at her throat. Fuck the diamonds looked so good on her skin. I wanted to have her while she wore it, just that. Nothing else. I woke up when she jabbed me hard in the ribs. It didn't hurt but it did break my self-induced trance. Bella furrowed her eyebrows but smirked at me. I leant down and inhaled into her hair, "Come away with me." I demanded in a hoarse voice and she shivered.

"Soon." She patted my hand, twined her fingers with mine and bore me off to a chair that had been placed in the centre of the now deserted dance floor. She sat in it and bared her thigh to me. Wound around it was a pale pink garter. I smiled evilly when I realized I was expected to remove it and then throw it for the assembled single males. Hot damn!

Bella giggled, I'd been read. I knelt down in front of her and grinned up at her one last time before putting my teeth to her leg and pulling the lacy thing down and off her high-heeled foot.

To loud whoops and jeers I stood and twirled it around my finger triumphantly. A large group of single males stood in a semi circle on the decking and I turned back to face my bride, chuckled once then flung the tiny lace circle over my head.

I turned around as quickly as I could to see who caught it and laughed loudly when I saw Seth running down the yard with it in his hand being hotly pursued by Quil, Jared and Paul.

Alice came with Bella's bouquet and handed it to her ready to throw. She waited until all the men had left the deck and had been replaced by all the single females. Then Bella turned her back and threw the flowers over her head.

I clutched my sides as Kate and Tanya fought over it. Tanya won out by default. She elbowed her sister and as she stumbled she tore the bouquet from her fingers and claimed victory. Kate scowled but laughed good-naturedly.

Bella came to stand beside me and took my hand in hers. She tugged me down so she could whisper. "Take me home Edward."

It was what I'd waited a lifetime to hear.

**BPOV**

We were hugged, kissed, patted and sent off loudly and with much vigor.

The Z4 stood in the driveway, decorated all over with tin cans and ribbons. The top had been left off it and the small space behind the front seats was filled with inflated condoms. Emmett and Jasper's hallmark.

I gave my parents one last hug, told them I loved them then did the same to Esme and Carlisle.

Edward took my hand then settled me into the car. With a last wave we were off down the driveway.

We didn't go far. In fact we only drove to my fathers house. We left the car there then went on foot back the way we'd come. Our driving off had been a show for the humans in attendance only. We could've just run off through the woods to the cottage but it would've looked bad, so we did the responsible thing.

I had no idea where the cottage was so I was surprised when Edward slowed and it appeared in a little clearing, as if out of nowhere.

It was lavender grey in the light of the stars. Edward tugged my hand and we picked our way across a little path of stepping-stones that led to the wooden door. He held out his hand and in it I saw the glint of a small brass key.

"From my parents." He announced the giver of this gift.

I took the key and pushed it into the lock. I twisted it carefully and felt the bolt slide. I turned the knob and pushed, the door opened and folded back on itself. I was about to take the step inside when Edward bent and slid his hands under me, lifting me into his arms, bridal style.

"Welcome home Mrs Cullen." He said, kissing me hungrily and stepping us over the threshold.

**EPOV**

I'd waited so long to say those words, to carry her over this particular threshold, to have her as truly mine. I'd gotten everything I wanted and more than I'd thought to ever ask for.

I put her down in front of the fire – Nathaniel had kindly run down here and lit it for me an hour ago – and let her soak in her surroundings.

"It's so beautiful. Oh look at your piano! Have you played it yet? Oh look at all the books." She was rambling in her pleasure so I indulged her for as long as I could stand to.

My desire was festering just under my skin. I was trembling with need for her. I wanted her to see everything, to discover our new home, to see what we'd done for her, but I was at my limit.

She grinned, stepped toward me once again, took my hand in hers and tugged my face down to hers. "Take me to bed husband." She groaned.

I took half a second to grin smugly at her and then she was again my arms and we were flying through the little hallway and into our bedroom. I stopped just short of the bed and put her on her feet once again. She gasped as she looked around the room. It was stark white with pale blue accents here and there. The bed was huge, far too big for the room it dominated. It was perfect.

"Alice has bought your things, they're in the bathroom. I'll be waiting." I told her.

I watched her walk into the bathroom and waited for her reaction to what she'd see. She did not disappoint.

**BPOV**

"OH MY GOD!" I couldn't help but scream. It was like an indoor swimming pool it was so big. I could do laps in it. The tub was white and was the full width of the room. Hell, it **was** the room. The bathroom had been split into three separate rooms. Each was separated with a cavity sliding door. Through the door from the bedroom you passed through a sort of hallway that had a vanity basin on the left side and a toilet on the right, through the next door was the shower, itself a work of art in chrome and glass. Through the last door into where an enormous tub had been sunken into the floor!

The three surrounding walls were all glass and looked out into the forest, just as our tub in the cabin had. The only difference being that this room had a glass roof as well! I could lie in the tub and look at the night sky!

"Edward! What have you done?" I called excitedly. He just laughed.

I went back into the section with the vanity and opened the cupboard beneath it. Everything I owned was already there! Alice was a gem!

Taped to the outside of my toiletries bag was a note saying that my 'things' were in a garment bag hanging on the back of the door in the shower room. I quickly retrieved them and set about getting ready.

I took my off dress and hung it in the garment bag where my nightie had been. I let my hair out of the beautiful bandeau and put it back in its box. I brushed out my hair and let it fall down my back.

I scrubbed my face clean of make up and brushed my teeth.

A little clench in my belly as I slid on the panties and bra. I'd chosen the black negligee over this set once before, the night Edward and I had first made love and I'd promised myself I'd wear this set on our honeymoon, but now it felt right to wear them on our wedding night.

They were pale blue lace and while the panties were small they were French cut so my belly didn't look overly horrible in them. The chemise was a darker blue but not as dark as my dress had been. It was really just a short shift dress made out of lace and it, along with the bra, was held together at my breasts with tiny blue bows.

I kept my necklace on and intended to keep it on, in accordance with Edward's silent wishes during the reception.

With one last look in the mirror, a hastily sucked in breath and another tight clench of my stomach muscles in anticipation I pulled the door back and joined my husband in our new bed.

**EPOV**

I was so wound up, so anxious, so excited I didn't know where to be or what to do when she came out of the bathroom. It felt like I was right back where we'd begun, nervous and excited and totally clueless.

It had only been four days but it felt like a lifetime since I'd last seen her, touched her, felt her, had her.

"Oh my god Bella, you're so beautiful." I told her as she came towards me. I was sat on the side of the bed wondering where the hell I should sit.

She stood between my knees and I clasped her around her waist and pulled her to me. I inhaled her skin through the sheer lace and sighed as her scent washed over me. Finally this house would smell like her, it would smell like home now.

She ran her hands through my hair and I sighed again. It had been so long.

I put my ear to her belly and listened to our baby moving. I could feel the feint kicks and rolls as it moved against her skin. She giggled a little when the baby thumped my cheek quite hard and I jumped away, startled.

I stood and took her back into my arms, holding her to me tightly. I told her again and again that I loved her as I kissed her perfect mouth. I put everything I had into that kiss, showing her how happy I was that she was mine in everyway.

I suckled her tongue into my mouth and groaned when she took mine into hers to do the same. I sighed when she dug her fingernails into the tops of my shoulders to hold my mouth to hers tighter and I ground myself into her hip when she whimpered my name as I bit my way down her exposed throat.

"This necklace…Jesus Christ Bella…what it does to me to see it against your skin…" I mumbled as I pulled her earlobe into my mouth and sucked hard.

"I love it Edward…I've never seen anything so beautiful…so amazing…" She told me as she twisted my hair between her fingers.

I shifted backward until I felt the edge of the bed against my knees and I pulled her down onto the bed with me, rolling so that she was on her side over the covers. We shuffled until we were in the centre of the huge bed and then we reached for each other at the same time. She pulled me to her, I pulled her to me. Our mouths met in the middle and the kiss resumed. Only this time Bella snaked her thigh between mine and pressed it up against my erection.

I couldn't help the anguished groan that escaped my throat. I was desperate for release, I knew it would more than likely be brief for me.

I wanted her pleasure first, if I could last long enough to give it to her that is.

I ran my hand over her side and slid it under the lacy shift and touched her warm skin for the first time in days. She moaned into my mouth as I tugged and pulled the chemise up until it was bunched under her chin. I let her mouth go only long enough for her to pull away and take it off over her head. She flung it to the floor and I reclaimed her mouth with mine.

I rolled slightly so I was hovering half over her, her shoulders on the mattress. I braced myself on one hand and used the other to trace her belly and between her beautiful breasts. They were half encased in pale blue lace and looked divine as they swelled out of the cups. Her tattoo was stark black and raised against her alabaster skin. I dipped my lips to it and ran my tongue over the letters of my name, still astounded that she'd found a way to mark herself as mine permanently.

"Only ever yours Edward." She moaned as she dug her fingernails into my scalp, pulling my lips to the rise of her breast harder.

"Oh god Bella, I need you, so so much." I was panting against her skin now and I couldn't help it. I tried hard to rein it in, keep my self control long enough, make it last. It was futile. Absolutely futile.

**BPOV**

I couldn't understand why he was trying to go slow!

I was writing underneath him almost tearing his hair out at the root to bring his lips closer to mine, to clamp him to my breast, pushing myself up into him, grinding my thigh into his hardness and still he persisted in trying to drag out the inevitable.

I'd had enough.

I pushed him away carefully, wanting it to seem natural instead of it being borne of frustration. When he was half sitting above me I undid the small clasp between my breasts and let the bra halves fall aside. I reached out and sliced through the buttons on his dress shirt as he had done to me the day of my change.

His eyes never left mine and I pulled the shirt down over his shoulders and down to his wrists. He flicked his cufflinks off and I threw the shirt to the floor where my nightgown lay.

I licked my bottom lip as I got my first look at him in such a long time. His abs were tensed, his chest rising and falling so quickly as if he couldn't drag in enough oxygen. I looked up into his eyes to make sure he was all right, he didn't need to breath and now he was dragging air in at a rate of knots!

All I saw was desire. All I heard from him was need.

"Touch me Edward, make me yours again." I begged as I lay back down onto the bed.

He wasted no time complying. His hands were everywhere, ghosting across my belly, cupping my breasts, tracing circles across my skin as he kissed me. Finally he dragged my panties down my thighs and I kicked them off. I lay underneath him totally naked for the first time since he became my husband. I was stunned at the powerful emotions that flooded through me as he slid his finger inside me for the first time.

I grasped at his shoulders, bit down on his tongue and dug my ankles into his calves as he stroked me deeply. "Oh god…so good…I've missed you so much…I need you, Edward…please." I begged against his throat.

"God Bella…so wet…I want you so badly…cum for me Bella…let me make you feel good before I…god Bella…" He was rambling into my ear as he bought me closer and closer to the release I desperately wanted. He added a second finger and I fell closer still, the first waves were just clutching at me when he curled his fingers upwards and stroked me harder. I fell, headlong into my orgasm. It wracked my body and I lifted my hips off the bed to meet his hand as I screamed his name into the night air. "Yes…that's it…give it up for me Bella…beautiful girl…god I love you…my wife…my Bella…yes…" He crooned as I rode the ecstasy he'd given me.

I went limp under him and looked up into his coal black eyes. "I love you Edward. Make love to me husband." I asked as his lips crashed down onto mine.


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter 59 Well Played Mrs Cullen

**EPOV**

I watched in lust filled fascination as she came undone on my fingers. The sweet, pungent scent of her flooded the room, my nose and my mouth. My tongue tingled with it. Her muscles clenched down on me over and over as she climaxed for me. For me, her husband. I buried my lips in her neck as she relaxed under me and came down from her high.

Thank god I'd been able to give her that.

I made short work of shedding the rest of my clothes and then I rested myself between her thighs and put my forehead to hers.

I pushed forward just a little, until I could feel her wet lips at my head.

I drew in a steadying breath; I let it out and whispered her name as I plunged myself deep inside her.

She arched her back and cried out my name, I stilled, letting her catch her breath. '_Oh god Edward…you feel so good…'_

It had been so long I startled when I heard her mental voice.

She smiled wryly and wrapped her arms around my shoulders so she could breath into my ear, "Did you forget baby?"

I shook my head, unable to reply. I was so overwhelmed. I was inside her again, I could hear her again, and she was mine.

'_Always yours…move Edward…don't worry about me…do what you feel.'_ She told me and I had to stifle the sob I felt growing in my chest.

I began to stroke carefully, aware that any full-blooded thrust would be my undoing. So I began slowly, softly, carefully. Never fully withdrawing, never fully entering her.

**BPOV**

He was holding back. I didn't want him to have to. If he needed to take me he could. We had forever.

As soon as I thought the thought he stiffened. Staring down into my eyes he began to grin. '_We have forever…'_ He let the thought go and then he began to stroke deeper. Harder. Forcefully. Possessively.

He lost himself in my body and I was in heaven. Edward was finally letting go, taking from me what he needed, giving to me what he'd promised. Himself.

He positioned his hands on either side of my head and began to thrust with abandon. I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled him to me as tightly as I could.

His kisses became frenzied as he drove on faster and faster. He was breathing in fast pants.

'Show me you love me Edward…make me yours…oh god…' I whimpered through our connection.

'_Jesus Bella…too good…I can't…too long…need…is it…you feel…want to…so good…mine…' _he growled in his head, his thoughts disorganized and incomplete.

I looked up into his beautiful face and watched his eyes as he drove on towards his release. As a human I'd never been afraid of Edward's hunger for me, in either sense. As he plunged himself into me over and over I knew that this act was an act of possession, a coming together of Edward's deep-seated need to possess me and his quest to fulfill his destiny. He was mated, finally. He'd imprinted on me and now I was his.

I felt my orgasm begin in the pit of my stomach, it radiated out of me and burst out of my core with such force all I could do was clutch onto him as it overtook my brain and my body. All I could do was ride it. I couldn't speak, I couldn't tell him how good it felt, I couldn't take a breath while it claimed me, while he claimed me.

'_I know baby…I know…I feel it too…I love you Bella…you are my life…' _He rasped out as he spilled himself into me in hot bursts. He bit down on my neck as he put voice to his pleasure. He held me tightly to him as he thrust again and again, his hot seed spurting deep inside me.

"I love you Isabella." He whispered as his shuddering subsided.

"I love you Edward." I whispered as mine began to retreat with his.

**EPOV**

Her soft snuffling calmed as we lie side by side in the enormous bed.

She was wrapped in the blankets and was tucked into the crook of my arm. She'd been asleep for only a few hours but I could already feel her stirring. I knew she had been sleeping longer these past few days because I'd read it from Carlisle. I also knew she wasn't waking up because she was no longer tired.

She'd reached for me about half an hour prior. I couldn't resist a smug grin as her fingers curled around my hard length. She'd murmured appreciatively – well it sounded like that to me, it could've been part of a dream about unicorns for all I knew – and I'd let her stroke me without interference.

She'd fallen back to sleep twice in the interim but this time I knew she was coming back to consciousness because she was writhing up against me as she stroked me. I could smell her arousal even through the blankets and I knew she'd awaken fully soon. Her need was as desperate as mine and I couldn't wait to have her again.

The sun had begun to rise and although we had no plans to go anywhere until the evening she might want to accept visitors and the spell would be broken. I hoped she didn't, but wasn't sure. I wanted as much alone time with her as possible today for tomorrow would be spent on airplanes and in airport lounges.

Her fingers became more insistent as she came back to the surface from sleep. She began to mumble a little. I adored watching her plump lips twitch. I couldn't resist any longer and I shuffled down the bed until our faces were lined up and then I pressed my lips to hers.

I licked her bottom lip and was rewarded with a tight pump of her fist.

I groaned loudly hoping to help her waken, I was selfish like that. I kissed her again and again until her lips parted and her tongue met mine, then I knew she was awake.

'I want you again Isabella.' I told her silently, waiting for her response.

She tightened her fist again and ran her thumb over my head. She moaned into my lips and bucked her hips towards me.

'Turn over love.' I told her. She did as I asked and I pulled her leg back and over my hip and slid into her in one smooth motion. 'Ohhhhhhhhh' I sighed as I moved forwards and sheathed myself in her fully before beginning to stroke languidly.

I kissed her exposed neck and shoulder as I slid in and out of her slowly. She moaned and groaned softly as I increased the pace, pulling her backwards onto me harder as her groans became louder.

'_So good…so deep like this…you feel so good Edward…I love you…'_ She whimpered as I spread my palm along her hip and used it to push and pull her in the rhythm of my stroke.

'You're so beautiful baby…you're all mine…I love you…I want you to cum for me baby…can you cum like this for me…' I asked her.

'_Oh yes…so close…'_ she forced her leg further back across my hip and found the place she needed me to be and in one stroke she was cumming. She whimpered and purred and hissed as her body jerked and spasmed around me. It was so lovely, so beautiful to watch, to feel as she rode the orgasm I'd given her.

I began to kiss her neck again, nipping at her warm flesh as I pumped in and out a little faster, reaching for my own release now I'd given her hers. She reached her tiny hand back and grabbed onto my hair, pulling my mouth and teeth harder against her skin. '_Bite me Edward.' _She demanded and I complied instantly. I sunk my teeth into her deeply and felt her tense again, ready to let go again. I released my teeth from her and then bit down again. She arched her back and pulled my hair again and I let go. My balls clenched tightly and I lost control of my release, letting it flood out of me and into her as she bucked and writhed through her second climax.

Still panting and shuddering she turned to face me and took my cheeks into her hands. She kissed me lightly on the lips, "Good morning husband."

I returned her kiss and pulled her up against me, "Good morning beautiful wife."

**BPOV**

We lay in the giant white bed for hours, touching, talking, kissing and reliving every moment of the last four days. I wanted to know what he'd done with every second we'd been apart and he wanted the same from me.

By mid morning he began to hear mental voices in the woods near the cottage and several times he tensed up as if he was going to bellow for people to go away and leave us alone. But they never came any closer than a mile or two and we were left to our own devices all morning. Distinctly filthy devices they were too, several times.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky I began to think of all the things we needed to do before we left for the airport tomorrow morning.

My thirst was also making itself known, it having been a good twenty-four hours since I'd last hunted. I told Edward I'd need to hunt soon but told him I had something for him before we went. He smiled angelically and asked what more I could possibly give him.

I went to get out of the bed to retrieve it from Alice' hiding place but he held firmly onto my wrist. "Edward, be reasonable please. You gave me so many presents the last months, let me give you this." I begged but he wouldn't budge.

"Stay in bed with me. It's all the gift I need." He whispered as he nuzzled my neck.

"We'll have to get up eventually." I scolded him.

"What for?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow and silently telling me he didn't have to do anything if he didn't want to.

"Oh, you'll want to get up for this, I assure you." I teased.

He sat up against the headboard and folded his arms over his chest. "I'm a big scary vampire, I doubt there is anything that could make me get out of this bed if I didn't want to Isabella." He said, throwing down the gauntlet and settling my favorite crooked grin onto his gorgeous mouth.

I took my chance where I saw it and leapt from the bed before he could pull me back to him. I stood at his side of the bed just out of his reach. I smiled widely, cocked my head to the side and whispered, "If you don't get out of that bed you can't get in that tub with me." And with that I turned on my heel and went into the bathroom to set the tub to fill.

"Well played Mrs Cullen, very well played indeed." He guffawed as I came out of the bathroom and went into the living room.

He was still laughing when I returned with his gift. He stopped the instant I set it on the floor, leaning up against the bed on my side. I left it there and went to the jewel box on my new dresser. I took my necklace off and placed it in the bottom of the box on the shiny red satin. I took my locket out of the top section of the box and slipped it back over my head. Then I went back to the bed and got back in beside him.

**EPOV**

I could hear the taps running into the tub and felt myself stiffen in anticipation. That tub had tortured me with its existence for months. It was just one more fantasy I'd be able to fulfill. I was the luckiest man alive. Well, almost alive. No, not even almost. I chuckled to myself at the thought. I was the luckiest dead man I knew!

Bella giggled as she read that from me but said nothing.

I watched her as she moved about the room. She was so elegant, so graceful. Her full rounded belly looked so fucking gorgeous. Knowing it was filled with my growing child made me so happy I could burst from it.

She stood a large silver wrapped parcel beside the bed. It was obviously a painting or a print of some kind. I wondered what she'd chosen for us to have hanging above the bed here. If it were anything like the portraits she'd made for the big house I'd love it.

I was a bit concerned when she took her new necklace off but was relieved when she swapped it for her locket.

Then she slid back into the bed beside me. Instead of coming back to my arms she sat against the headboard as I was and pulled the covers across her legs and belly. Then she pulled the parcel onto her lap and then passed it to me.

"Just like your gifts this one needs an explanation." She giggled softly.

"Do tell."

"The day you gave me this locket you told me there were pictures of your parents underneath the little discs with our names on, do you remember?" She asked.

"Of course." I nodded.

"Alice took me to a jeweler in Seattle and I had him take the discs out. He was able to get the pictures out Edward. But you were wrong love." She said quietly and my heart clenched.

"Were they ruined already?" I asked, scared of the answer. They were the only pictures I had of my parents, the only proof I had they existed.

"No Edward, they were damaged but not ruined completely. But you were wrong, there were more than just the pictures of your parents under there." She pointed at the parcel. "Open and see for yourself Edward."

I tore the wrapping off. There was more than one framed print though. There were three frames inside the parcel. They were each a meter by a meter and they were all framed in the same highly polished timber frames.

I was looking at myself. How could that be?

I was maybe seven years old and I'd just been for a haircut. My mother had insisted on the extravagance of a professional haircut because of my unruly mop. We'd been scheduled to have this picture taken because my father was home on a very short leave pass. I remember the place we'd had to go to to have it taken. It was a dark dingy little hole in the wall in the main street, between my favorite bookshop and a butchery. I remembered trying to stand still all the while the butcher was singing a dirty little ditty about a girl named Fanny and a sailor named Dick. My mother had been aghast, my father had roared with laughter at the chorus and as he'd laughed I'd looked to him and the picture had been taken. That's how I came to be smiling so widely and looking off to somewhere off centre of the shot.

"It's me." I said quietly. I knew she'd have been able to read my thoughts as I wandered back in time just now, but I felt the need to say something. "That's me." I couldn't help but state the bleeding obvious. It was just so, so…it was just so.

"You were just as beautiful as a child Edward." She whispered patting my hand. "Look underneath that one." She suggested.

I put the first frame aside, letting it rest on my outstretched legs on the bed.

"Oh my god." I was stunned into silence.

"They must have been important to your mother for her to keep their picture in the locket, but I don't know who they are." She told me as I stared down at the faded picture.

"They are my fathers parents. George Edward and Francis Mary Masen." I said weakly, too shocked to explain. I'd seen this picture before, many times. It had stood on our mantle in the Chicago house all my life. Whenever I'd been in trouble or was being defiant my mother would point to it and remind me that Grandfather George would be unhappy with me if I continued on the way I was.

Bella giggled.

"I was a little bugger." I whispered, lost in the memory. "George was a very hard man. He was a huge man too, he scared me mostly. My grandmother was kind though. She bought me butterscotch when she visited. I remember the little tin my mother would tip it into, telling me I could have only one piece a day, if I was good. Huh, I never did get too many pieces in a row." I chuckled. "Grandmother always smelled of lemon essence. Her ladies maids polished her furniture with it, so her skirts smelled of it when I was allowed to sit on her knee. Which wasn't often. I was always covered in dirt from playing in the street with my little friends." I closed my eyes to see if I could recall the smell of the lemons, but could not.

Bella hopped out of the bed and went in to turn off the taps to the tub and then came back to sit with me.

"There's one more Edward." She took the picture of my grandparents and laid it on top of the one of me and I was left staring into the faces of my parents.

I ran my thumb over my mothers beautiful face. It had been so long, maybe 40 years since I'd gazed upon it. When the pictures in the locket had begun to deteriorate I'd kept it safely closed, never allowing myself the pleasure of seeing their faces lest they be lost to me forever. Bella had given me my family back.

"I can't believe it. Thank you so much. You don't know what this means." I told her as I traced my mothers jaw and cheek with the tip of my finger. She was seated on a crimson button backed chair, my father stood behind her with his huge hand on her shoulder. He stood stiffly, his back rigid, as was the fashion for portraiture in that era. This was the usual pose. My mother had broken with tradition and had smiled.

Her hair was piled high on top of her head and her beloved sapphire earrings hung from her ears. I turned to Bella and saw she was still wearing them. That felt good.

At long last I had an enduring image of my mother. My last look at her had been on her deathbed, she'd been so pale, so drawn and so very weak. Now I could look upon her at leisure, remember her as she was, as they both were, before that bastard illness had taken them both from me so cruelly.

"I'm sorry Edward, I didn't mean to upset you." Bella whispered.

"You haven't. I'm so happy. I thought I'd lost them Bella. I couldn't recall my mothers beautiful face these past years. I couldn't remember the line of my fathers jaw. Was it like mine? Was his hair this copper? What color were his eyes? Were his hands as big as I remembered them? How did my mother's hand look with those rings on them?" I nodded to Bella's hand and she smiled. "I thought they were lost to me. You've given them back. I can't thank you enough." I told her sincerely.

"You love me, it's all the thanks I'll ever need." She told me.

"I know another way I can thank you." I put the portrait on the pile and reached for her. "Come christen that tub with me Isabella." I growled against her throat and felt her shiver.

**BPOV**

We'd spent the late afternoon exploring the cottage. Edward showed me all that had been done to it, what had been changed and asking what I'd like to do to it now that it was mine, ours.

It really was very beautiful as it was. I would enjoy decorating the nursery once we knew what sex the baby was, but for now it was very pretty with it's plain white lace and linens.

A circular crib dominated the room. Above it hung a mobile with little zoo animals on it, which made me giggle. Edward joined in the laughter as we relived our zoo trip and Jasper's impromptu rodeo display.

The baby's closet was already full of tiny clothes and every piece of paraphernalia a child could or would ever need. I'd not let myself get too excited over all that yet, having concentrated on getting married first. But as I ran my hand over the tiny outfits hanging in there I could feel the first stirrings of longing to hold my child in my arms.

Edward came behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. "It won't be long love." He whispered, catching my mood exactly.

"No, it won't." I agreed. He ran his hand over my belly and stilled it across my navel. I felt the familiar rolling sensation immediately and silently thanked the baby for recognizing his father so quickly today. I put my hand over Edward's and gave it a little squeeze.

"Come and see across the hall love." He let me go but took my hand and pulled me out of the nursery and led me into the room opposite.

"Oh." Was all I could say when I took in what Esme had done. It was a study. Like Carlisle's. "Oh it's lovely." I told Edward as I spun around and looked at his glorious face.

"I knew you'd like this best." He said smugly.

There was a big bay window that looked out into the forest and under it was a wide padded window seat built into it. Six fat cushions stood on their points on top of it, it looked so comfortable, so inviting. The two walls that flanked the window were floor to ceiling bookcases and they were stuffed to overflowing with books of every kind. Apart from the one box of books still sitting on the floor at the big house every book I owned was already here, sitting happily beside Edward's impressive collection.

In the centre of the room, facing the doorway as was traditional in Cullen homes, was an impressive partners desk. It was just like Carlisle's though not quite a big. It had a dark green leather inlayed top and a dark navy high backed chair just like Carlisle's too. I had the briefest image of Edward sitting there, his fingers steepled like Carlisle as he poured over a huge volume late at night.

Edward's lock box sat in the middle of the desk, waiting to find it's place in this house no doubt. The only difference in this room as compared to Carlisle's was the lack of telephone.

"No phone?" I asked.

"No." He chuckled darkly. _'When we're here we're incommunicado Isabella.'_ He thought and I shivered.

"Totally alone? No interruptions? Just you and me?" I asked and he nodded. "Whatever will we do with our time Edward?" I giggled.

**EPOV**

I didn't really want to go to the big house but I had to. Some of our guests were leaving tonight and I did want to thank them for coming all this way for us. I also wanted to have a last exam with Carlisle before we left in the morning. It had been five days now since I'd been present when Carlisle examined her and I wanted to make sure, in his professional opinion, that she was fit and well enough to travel.

And of course I wanted to thank everyone for their part in our perfect wedding.

I'd taken Bella hunting after I'd shown her the rest of the cottage. We had planned to go on to the house directly from the hunt but we'd decided, at the last minute, to make a quick detour and take another dip in the tub before being late to the house.

We ended up being very late, as luck would have it.

When we finally made it up there the house was teeming with vampires in various states of relaxation.

The small table in the kitchen was covered with cards, another elaborate game between Jasper and Aro, with Marcus again trying to work out Jasper's 'tells'.

Nathaniel and Carlisle were locked away in his study discussing Nathaniel's plans for after Art College. It sounded like Nathaniel was considering a stint in the US.

Garrett and Maggie were once again conspicuous in their absence. I asked Liam when they'd last been seen and he mumbled something about them running off in the direction of the river as we'd driven away in the Z4. I chuckled but said no more. I had a hunch that the next vampire wedding we attended would be theirs, if they ever managed to convince one or the other to switch continents that is.

Liam, Emmett and Peter were playing the same driving game Charlie and I had been playing on Christmas night. Liam looked like a fish out of water as the two younger men drove circles around him. The language he was using in his head to curse my brother and his friend would've straightened the curls out of Bella's hair!

The women were all upstairs in Alice' suite. Every one of them was chatting animatedly about clothes and babies and the wedding. I was well enough away from that so I asked Bella what she felt like doing.

She raised her eyebrows to the floor above and I cringed. Poor Bella.

She giggled and kissed me lightly at the corner of my mouth and then she flew up the stairs to join the women.

**BPOV**

"Come in Mrs Cullen." Alice trilled before I had even gotten to the door of her suite.

I was giggling as I went in. Esme came to stand beside me and she took my hand and pulled me down onto the edge of Alice' bed with the others. All the women were here, minus Maggie as had been the norm this week. "How are you feeling today Bella dear?" Esme asked.

"I'm great mom."

"Excellent. Now, lets have a look." She said.

"A look at what?" I quirked an eyebrow and realized that they were all staring at me like I had two heads. "What?" I asked again.

"Your belly stupid." Charlotte giggled.

"Oh." Was all I could manage before Alice ran to my side and pulled me up so I was standing facing the room.

She put her hand on my belly and sighed happily. "Hello little one." She crooned and the others oohed and aahed appreciatively.

"My turn." Rose yelled and she bounced over the edge of the bed and stood in front of me too. "Come on Alice, it's my turn." She swiped Alice' hand away and replaced it with hers. When the baby kicked she shrieked, "It kicked me!" And the room erupted into loud cheers and shouts of my turn let me feel and what is it like?

When everyone had had a turn to feel my belly they all went back to their original seats. While it felt a little strange to be handled like an incubator I didn't begrudge them their fun. None of them would ever have the chance I'd been given so I was happy to share my good fortune with them in any way they wanted.

The talk continued to be about the baby and all the things we'd get to do. I settled in happily for a few hours gossip. The one person I was missing was my mother. I wondered what she was doing tonight.

"I've already called Bella, she'll be here soon." Alice whispered. I was shocked, how did Alice know I was thinking about my mother just now? "Please tell me you don't have pregnant brain Bella?" She giggled. "I see things, remember?" And then everyone was laughing.

Our little party broke up for a little while when Aro announced that the Italian party should be leaving now, their plane was leaving in a few hours and they still had to make their way to Sea-Tac.

Everyone else stood in the driveway wishing them well with many promises for more regular visits from both sides of the continents. I'd hugged Nathaniel and been kissed soundly by both Aro and Marcus and I'd promised to send word the instant the baby was born.

We were still waving goodbye when Edward's Z4 came up the drive, my mother at the wheel. She looked shell-shocked when she got out of it.

I went to the drivers' door and held her steady. "What's wrong mom?" I asked, panicked.

She looked at Edward and then back to me before she spoke. "I think I made a little mistake." She whispered to me. But everyone assembled had heard her perfectly. Edward flew down the stairs to look over his car, thinking she'd dinged it or something.

"Mom?" I asked, more scared now that Edward had confirmed the car was fine. Whatever was wrong was wrong with my mother, not the car.

"I made a mistake Bell's." She repeated. "I should've made you buy me one of these instead of that boring Ford." She laughed. "I think I need to change my knickers!" She crowed and the crowd fell about.

**EPOV**

The next group to leave was the nomads. But their departure was a curious mix of mirth and tinged with the tiniest bit of sadness.

Garrett and Maggie had returned soon after Renee had arrived and I could tell from their thoughts that something significant had occurred on their jaunt. They bounded up the steps and into the house with purpose. They stood at the foot of the stairs and called for the girls to come down and join the men for a moment.

When everyone was indeed in one place Garrett announced that he was going home with the Irish coven, for good. When the cheering and calls of 'it's about fucking time' had died down he told us all that after watching Bella and I make good yesterday he realized he couldn't spend another decade without her. He pulled her to him and kissed her deeply as we all cheered and congratulated them.

Charlotte and Peter were sad to see their nest mate leave with the Irish but they were happy for them too. Jasper tried, in vain as usual, to convince Peter and Charlotte to give our way of life another try. They declined politely, as they always did, and they too left when the Irish did.

The three Denali girls were staying a few extra days but had followed the Irish contingent out of the driveway and had run towards the west to hunt.

With Renee in the house Jasper and Alice decided they'd hunt a little too. So there was a very tender moment as my brother and sister kissed my new wife goodbye, wishing us both all luck on our honeymoon. We wouldn't see them now until we returned.

Rose and Emmett excused themselves to their suite soon after and a similar goodbye was made. Though it was Emmett who looked pained at talk of our departure. He was thinking about how quiet it was going to be without Bella in the house, how he'd miss watching her belly grow and how huge she was likely to be by the time we returned. I clapped him on the shoulder and told him I'd take good care of her. He made me swear on it and then he took his wife up to their room.

Esme offered to take Renee home at ten. We'd have to leave for the airport first thing in the morning so Renee wanted to get some sleep. Esme kissed and hugged Bella before leaving and as she kissed me she told me how much she loved me. I told her I loved her too, thanked her again for the cottage and then she was gone away with Renee.

And then it was just myself and Bella in the house with Carlisle. So we all went up to his study for one last exam.

**BPOV**

"You're much bigger now." Carlisle said as he ran his hand over her stomach, pushing in here and there, feeling the tight membrane just under her skin. "I expect you to be much bigger again by the time you come home next week."

"Me too. My weight is really climbing fast now." I pointed to the chart that was unfolded on his desk and he nodded as he read it once again.

"I don't want you to worry about that though, that's exactly what should be happening. You'd be seven months now if you were human. That means that all the vital organs, the nerves, brain extremities and tissues are all present, now the baby would just be putting on weight, ready to be born. From here on in there is nothing left to do but get good and fat." He smiled warmly.

"And you are sure that going on this trip is safe?" Edward asked.

"I am. I'd let a human woman who was seven months gone travel; I see no reason not to let Bella. She is far more resilient and she's traveling with a doctor." He chuckled.

"That may be so but I've no idea what to do if something goes wrong." Edward mumbled.

"Neither would I Edward." Carlisle admitted. "But I'm sure that if something does go wrong you'll do your best to resolve it. I don't expect any complications, not that I can see too much, that little one has fairly barricaded himself – or herself – in there quite tightly." He chuckled again.

"Well then, best we get home and make ready to go on our honeymoon Mrs Cullen." Edward said teasingly.

Carlisle chuckled again, clearly pleased for Edward. "Please travel safely you two. Call when you can?" He asked Edward and Edward nodded that he would. "See you in a week." He announced, effectively dismissing us from the study.

We ran home, fast. The tub was still warm when we got there.


	60. Chapter 60

Chapter 60 Isle Esme

**BPOV**

We met Renee at Charlie's house at 7am as arranged. Our luggage was already loaded into her Ford and she was waiting for us at the little kitchen table.

Charlie's cruiser was already long gone from the driveway.

The beginning of the drive was a fairly quiet one; Renee was still tired, though she declined to let me drive. She'd heard from Charlie what a harrowing – her word, definitely not mine – experience driving with me could be.

We'd hunted just before going to Charlie's that morning so Bella's thirst was well under control and we could drive directly to Port Angeles. We only made one stop on the way and it was this stop that would determine our fate.

Renee pulled into the gas station, announcing she needed to use the bathroom and asking for me to please fill the tank. Bella came and stood with me at the side of the vehicle while I pumped the gas for Renee.

'_Oh look, the happy couple._' I heard, and then I smelled the fucker.

"Get in the car, now." I growled at Bella. She startled but did as I asked. I told her, silently, that James and Victoria were stood in the shadows at the side of the gas station. They were returning from hunting and Victoria wanted to use the facilities to wash the blood from her hands and chest before they got back to their nest. James was pissed off at her vanity but had given in when she'd promised to let him, well, she'd bargained well.

Bella had her cell phone in her hand in a heartbeat and Carlisle on the other end of it half a second later.

I finished pumping the gas, returned the nozzle to its cradle and stalked to where they stood. "Leave." I hissed.

"No, I don't think we will." James smirked. "I hear congratulations are in order?" He cocked his head to the side and slid his eyes back to the car and Bella.

"Leave." I hissed again, unwilling to enter into a conversation.

"Your baby momma is looking fine." He sneered and I felt myself slip lower into my crouch.

"Baby momma? That's my fucking wife you piece of shit." I snarled.

Victoria began to worry that they'd pushed me far enough already. She didn't doubt James' ability to take me on but she doubted she'd be able to take Bella as a newborn if James failed.

"Have a nice trip." Victoria said smugly and then tugged on James' sleeve. "Come on lover, she's not ready yet." And they fled back into the trees.

I stood, my chest heaving from anger, leaning against the wall of the garage.

I was stuck. Rigid. Unable to move. If I gave chase Bella was left unprotected. Who'd protect Renee? If I stayed they'd be waiting when we returned. What should I do?

Bella was calling to me softly from inside the car. There was nothing I could do but return to it.

I stalked back to the car, took half a second to steady myself and then I slid in beside her, taking her hand in mine and smiling as widely as I could.

"Ready?" Renee asked, oblivious.

"Yeah, let's get this honeymoon started shall we Isabella?" I asked in as clear a voice as I could muster.

"Yeah." She whispered.

**BPOV**

He was shaking from head to toe. I slid my arm along the back of the seat and pulled him up against me as best I could. I twisted my fingers into his hair and held him tightly, willing him to calm down. "Shhh, Shhh." I hummed against his cheek.

'_They know how far along you are now, they saw you; they'll be ready for us when we get back Bella. I'm so sorry. I didn't hear them until it was too late. If only you'd stayed in the car. I'm so sorry.' _He whimpered in his mind.

"Shhh. It's done. It doesn't matter. They'd come anyway. I'm not frightened. You'll protect me. Shhh." I told him again. My mother was happily humming along to a tune on the golden oldies station and had heard nothing. She gave the odd look in the rearview mirror but I assumed she thought we were cannoodling, rather than having a shared panic attack.

"Carlisle?" He asked.

"They're calling the Rez to alert Sam then they're going to the nest. En masse from what I can tell. So it might all be over by the time we get back." I whispered and felt him relax.

He was worried about sending his family into battle on his behalf but also relieved that it could quite possibly be all over by the time we came home again.

'_They'll never get close to you, I swear.' _He told me as his lips found mine.

"Hey you two, keep it clean." My mother was laughing.

"Sorry, can't help ourselves." Edward answered in a pretty good impression of a happy man. I knew differently. Inside he was part seething vampire part terrified husband and father.

"And you still have no idea where you're going Bell's?" She asked.

"Nope. My new husband won't tell me. Do you know?" I asked, suddenly wondering if she did know.

"Yep." She grinned, popping the p like a schoolgirl would.

"Oh spill woman!" I shrieked.

"No way. Edward would kill me." She giggled at her own faux pas. "Oops, sorry, didn't mean that obviously." And she giggled again.

She pulled into the little regional airport terminal gate and pulled into a parking spot. "If we're leaving from here does that mean we're staying in the continental US?" I asked hopefully.

"You won't know until you get to the gate. Come on Mrs Cullen." Edward tugged my hand to help me out of the car.

"I'll be leaving you two here, there is shopping to be done." My mother announced. She stepped toward me gingerly and I nodded. She folded me into a tight hug, kissed my cheek and then she patted my belly. "Have a great time you two. Take good care of my grandbaby won't you?" She smiled so widely it looked like her cheeks might burst.

"I will. See you when we get back mom, thanks for everything." I told her.

**EPOV**

"Houston?" She asked wide-eyed.

"Just a stop along the way." I assured her.

The flight was uneventful even though it was Bella's first time in what was essentially a tin can full of human sardines for her. She'd feigned sleep for an hour or so but I knew she'd be needing to feed when we got to Texas. I'd planned for that, luckily, and had a car waiting at the airport.

I drove west out of the sprawling city limits until we came to George Bush Park. It was an enormous wildlife sanctuary and public park that was flanked by Barker Reservoir. There were white tailed deer here, as there was at home.

Bella gasped when we passed by the huge red painted sign telling us that hunting was prohibited inside the park confines.

"It says no hunting with a firearm, bow and arrow or explosives Isabella. Legally we aren't going to use any of those unless Alice has packed something I don't know about." I chuckled.

"It's a fine line Edward." She chortled.

I pulled the car over into a little culvert and was about to tell her that I didn't think she'd be protesting so hard if I told her this was the only food source for a hundred miles, but she was already gone.

I chuckled and followed.

I'd been careful to stay clear of the Buffalo Bayou bike trail, it was mid afternoon so there was more than likely many humans around enjoying the cool though weak afternoon sun. I'd not heard or smelled anything nearby so I gave her her head and ambled along at a slow pace until I found her, underneath a deer, as was her usual routine.

She was drinking hungrily and I watched with my usual sense of lust filled fascination at my beauty as she sated herself.

With one last lick of her luscious lips she came to stand beside me, pulling my hand into hers. She stood on tiptoe, kissed me lightly on the cheek and announced she was 'done'. I bent and swooped her up into my arms and kissed her more thoroughly. God she was magnificent. She was the consummate hunter. Graceful, smart, sensitive and utterly lethal. It was wrong to be hard, right?

"Edward!" she scolded me playfully. But she let me kiss her more deeply and I earned a nice, deep groan into the bargain when I nipped at her tongue.

I pulled her along with me back to the car and then we were once again on our way to the airport.

**BPOV**

"Rio de Janeiro?" I asked, eyebrow cocked.

"Another stop." He told me but he was doing everything he could to block his actual, real thoughts from me by reciting our vows over and over in so many different languages I'd lost count.

It was rather sweet, him wanting to surprise me. I was sorry it was so difficult for him to manage and not for the first time I wondered if I would still be able to read him after the baby was born. It hadn't escaped my knowledge that the 'gift's vampires had were usually present in some form while they had been humans. I had certainly never been able to read anyone, least not someone as mentally complicated as Edward Cullen!

So it stood to reason – at least in theory – that I could read Edward because I was carrying a baby whom he had passed his gift on to.

I wondered if I'd miss it?

"Bella, sweetheart, we're there." He was kissing me lightly on the cheek and rubbing my arm. I'd fallen asleep. I woke up to his beautiful angels face only an inch away from mine, his gorgeous honey gold eyes staring down at me. "Hello my beauty." He whispered when I opened my eyes fully.

I wondered if I'd miss sleep once the baby was born?

As I stared into his eyes and heard his lust filled thoughts, he was wishing we were somewhere secluded already and I totally agreed. Then I knew that I wouldn't miss sleeping. It would give us more hours at night to get our fill of each other's bodies.

"What are you thinking about in there? That grin is positively evil." He chuckled, kissing me again.

"I'll tell you when we get where we're going, if we ever get there." I grumbled.

I looked around me and saw that the humans were already teeming down the centre aisle, eager to disembark from the plane. I was in slightly less of a hurry but I was beginning to get thirsty again. Sleeping had been a god send, they pack so many people onto these planes the smell of them had driven me to distraction the entire time I'd been awake. Now that we were once again on the ground I needed to hunt, though not with any real urgency. It was still a dull, background ache. I gave my throat a tentative touch with my hand and Edward smiled.

"Tijuca National Park, half an hours drive." He whispered and I smiled in return. He knew me so very well.

We went through customs easily, not only did we not have anything organic in our luggage because we'd never need any of it but we also scared the living crap out of the customs officials to such a degree they ushered us through as quickly as possible. I almost wanted to hang back and say thank you.

As it was Edward had yet another car waiting for us when we got out into the Rio night. I was counting down the time as he drove out of the city towards the national park. By the time we got to twenty-eight minutes I was frenetic. My thirst had exploded in the back of my throat and the baby was knocking and kicking frantically, he was hungry too. As was often the case, this thirst I was battling wasn't my own but the baby's.

"What's out here?" I asked.

"Some deer, marsh deer I think they're called and some tasty jaguar. Oh, and something called a maned wolf."

I gasped at the thought of feeding from a wolf but had to concede I was hungry enough that if that was the first thing I smelled it was going to be my dinner!

**EPOV**

The drive to the dock was brief, we'd actually driven past it on our way to the national park so I only had to double back a short distance to reach it.

I gathered our luggage and asked Bella to please follow me.

I led us down the rows of boats and yachts until we reached number 172. I threw the luggage into the back of the boat and held out a hand to help Bella down into it.

I settled her on the little seat at the back then I turned the key and headed out into the open water. Not a word was said.

Twenty-seven minutes later the island came into view. It was beautiful, even shrouded in the darkness of a cloud filled sky. The moon shone white and bounced off the sand as we came closer and closer. Bella hadn't mentioned spotting it so I left it as long as I could before I called her to join me where I was driving and then I pointed out ahead of us.

"The island?" She asked and I nodded. "Where are we?"

As I pulled the boat up parallel to the little jetty I pulled her into my arms, kissed her at her temple and announced proudly, "Welcome to Isle Esme, Bella."

She scoffed a little at what she must have thought was my joke and then she searched my face for any trace of a smile. "Oh come on, you can't be serious?" She enquired disbelievingly. "Isle Esme? As in Esme Cullen's island?"

"Hmm mm." I answered as I began tossing our luggage out of the boat onto the jetty. When the boat was once again empty I returned to where Bella stood and scooped her up into my arms. I leapt onto the jetty and walked up it and onto the little path until we came to the front door of the house. The lights were on and it looked clean and well cared for outside, I hoped the cleaning crew had done as I'd asked and the inside was this well cared for too.

"Edward? Are you for real? This is Esme's own island?" She asked.

"Yes Bella. Carlisle gave it to her as a gift, this is Isle Esme, like I said." And with that I pushed the front door open and took my new wife into our honeymoon house.

**BPOV**

"Oh my god, it's beautiful." I couldn't help but gasp as I looked around.

I was still in Edward's arms and I was rather enjoying being there so I didn't ask him to put me down. He didn't offer either.

He walked through the house from the entryway we'd come in from and began to show me through it. I looked around, from the height of his arms, and noticed how familiar it felt.

It was so light, so open, just like the big house in Forks. Tranquil though, much quieter than the house there usually was. It was gorgeous.

Edward flicked lights on as we went, illuminating different rooms as he made his way through from front to back. Down a little hallway he ducked into giant bedroom after giant bedroom. Six of them in all. Each as stunning as the last.

One blue one red, a startling terracotta one, a yellow and a pink one.

At the end of the hall he came to the last door, he flicked those lights on as we went inside and I gasped. It was white, stark white and it was identical to our new bedroom at the cottage.

"Oh my." I chortled.

"I know, Esme assumed we'd get attached to it." He laughed low and husky and I didn't need to be able to read his mind to know that he too was thinking back over our wedding night in the identical room at home.

The huge white bed dominated the centre of the room, the glass doors either side of it opened out onto the sand just as ours opened out onto our little courtyard. The difference was that here we had the ocean at our doorstep, at home we had a small turquoise pond. But no matter, I loved them both equally.

"It's beautiful." I said, moving forward to finger yard after yard of billowy white mosquito netting that hung from the four corner posts of the bed.

"I'll…go and get the luggage." Edward backed out of the room and I listened carefully to his thoughts. He was nervous, that was rare for Edward, especially after everything we'd been through to get to this point.

I opened the glass doors and let the soft breeze come inside. It smelled of salt and sea, delicious I decided. Though I'd never be hot again I could tell that the air here was hotter than it had been at home. I drank it in, it tasted different somehow.

Edward returned with our suitcases and he set them onto low benches that sat either side of tall timber dressers. "It's hot here." He mumbled.

"I like it. It smells different, tastes salty."

I felt him come up behind me, his lips grazing the side of my neck. "You'll taste different here, you'll taste of the sea." He shivered when I groaned.

"I suppose you'll tell me the water is warm?" I giggled and squirmed in his arms. Mocking him for the times he'd tricked me as a human.

"I was wondering," He said slowly, "If…first…maybe you'd like to take a midnight swim with me?" He took a deep breath, his voice was more at ease when he spoke again. With a low rumbling chuckle he said, "The water will be very warm here, I promise." I felt his lips curl up at the end of his sentence, he was telling me he'd gotten my little joke.

"Sounds nice." I sighed.

"I'll meet you in the water." And with that he ran out the glass doors and down the sand. I could hear and see him stripping off his clothes as he went.

**EPOV**

I left her standing in the middle of the room but I knew she'd follow. I'd felt her shiver when I kissed her neck. She wasn't so tired that she'd want to sleep right away. I didn't need to be able to read her mind to know she wanted me as much as I wanted her.

I threw my clothes over the crook of a low-hanging palm tree at the edge of the water and waded in. It was warm, very warm, even on my frozen skin.

I went in up to my hips hoping to hide my raging hard on.

Fuck, she'd have just read that from me. Fuck, she'd have read that too. Shit.

I'd wanted this to be sweet, gentle, loving. I wanted to start our honeymoon off like other couples did. If I was honest with myself I wanted to give her, us, a human sort of honeymoon. Totally alone, no interruptions. A secluded place to rest, learn more about each other and love each other as much as we could.

I wanted to pamper her, look after her, care for her, as a husband should. So far my family had done a lot of the caring. Alice did so much for us she even bought our clothes, Esme took care of us and the house – most of it anyway – Carlisle was peacemaker and the one we went to in times of trouble or stress. Emmett and Jasper protected her and took her hunting when I couldn't and Rose had taught her to dance!

I still couldn't get over that. Rosie had taken the time to teach Bella to dance so that she could surprise me on our wedding day.

I wanted a regular honeymoon for us. Filled with lifes little pleasures. Sure, instead of sumptuous food we'd hunt the deer and puma Carlisle had bred here for that purpose. Instead of sleeping late we'd make love all night. Though Bella would sleep a little.

When a human couple would tire from swimming we'd be able to stay in the water indefinitely.

But on the other hand. We could hunt together, we could fuck all night long and we could immerse ourselves underwater without needing to breath.

I hope she'd just heard that!

Silver lining Edward, silver lining!

I heard her feet in the sand and turned to face the house. God she was glorious in the moonlight. Totally nude she slowly walked toward the edge of the water. She pulled the band out of her hair and let it cascade down her back in a long soft ribbon, the curls jumping back up now they'd been released from their bindings.

Her skin was pale and the light bounced off it as she stuck a toe into the water, testing it. I couldn't help the bark of laughter that forced its way out of my throat as she tested it and then smiled. It was warm. I hadn't lied this time.

"I hear you Mr smarty pants." She giggled lightly. Her voice floated across the water towards me, as did her scent.

I flared my nostrils and drank her in, content in the knowledge I'd never have to be far from it ever again. She was mine, forever. I'd never leave her side ever again. We'd never be apart. Mine.

As she sunk into my arms and I kissed her for the first time now that we were properly on our honeymoon I told her I loved her and pulled her under the water with me.

**BPOV**

I could hear his voice but his scent was further away from me than it should be. He should have been in the bed beside me but when I ran my hand over his side there was only crisp cool sheet, no Edward.

I went to the door of the bedroom and listened again. He was on the phone and he was not happy.

"I don't fucking care Carlisle. I want it done before we return, there won't be enough time to strategize for that, do it now." He hissed. His mind was in turmoil. He flipped between deep self-loathing for wanting our trio of misfits killed in cold blood and rage at not being there to be the one to do it, or at least help. "Okay, so she's evasive, aren't they all? Who called Jaz off the hunt? Right. Well then, that's just fucking wonderful. You get to keep your conscience in tact while it's my wife and child being threatened. Lovely." He was pacing, I could hear his feet as each step took him further away from me, then led him back again. "You can come out Bella, I know you're awake." He growled and I stiffened.

Shit.

I went into the huge living room and saw him up against another set of glass doors and he was pacing. I threw him a grimace of apology for eavesdropping; he shrugged and held out the phone as if to say I was wanted on it.

"Carlisle." He barked, handing it to me. "You see if you can talk some sense into the fucker." And with that he strode out of the house, down the sand and flung himself into the water fully dressed.

Shit.

"Hello dad." I mumbled.

"Hello Isabella. As you can probably tell we've pulled out of the fight for now. James and Victoria went straight back to the nest after meeting with the two of you yesterday. We were there to greet them when they got back but they ran the instant they smelled us. They refused to engage with us and kept running. The woman has an uncanny knack for evasion, she skipped right down the boundary line at the Rez as if she was following a red line on the ground." He sighed loudly.

"Bottom line is they got away?" I asked.

"Yes. They did. I called Jasper off from the hunt when it became clear they'd run to Alaska rather than engage and Edward is angry with me." He sighed again and I could hear the frustration in his voice.

"I'll talk to him, he's just frightened that's all. He wants it over with quickly, now if possible. He'll come round. Thanks for letting us know what happened dad."

"You're welcome. Now go and enjoy your honeymoon, don't worry about what's going on here." And with that he broke the connection and I was left to console my very angry, very frustrated but desperately hot husband.

**EPOV**

I wanted to pout when she came into the water to get me. I wasn't frightened. I'm a fucking vampire, a strong one at that, I don't get frightened!

When she giggled I tensed. Fuck!

She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me to her tightly. "Don't pout beautiful man. You'll get wrinkles." She chuckled and I couldn't help but join in.

"You told me once you didn't want to get saggy boobs." I laughed.

"Yeah, well, I was young and stupid then." She laughed too.

"Are you frightened Isabella?" I asked her, changing tack as I walked us a little deeper into the clear blue water.

"A little." She kissed my jaw and I was hard instantly with her hot little body pressed up against me and the movement of the waves rocking us back and forth against each other. Shit. I'd forgotten what the topic of conversation was. "Good." She whispered against my mouth.

Miss Distraction has entered the building I see.

"Ahem, I'm a missus now." She giggled and returned her lips to mine.

We hunted when we could bear to tear ourselves away from each other and get out of the water. The puma here were particularly tasty, as they'd had free reign to get fat and fast living off the native deer population and the introduced ones Carlisle supplied regularly to keep the numbers up.

Bella said she loved the plump little buggers and I did too. They thought they were the kings of this particular jungle so they were not happy to be proven otherwise. They put up a good fight too, much more interesting when you had food with personality to play with!

"If Carlisle stocked this place with these puma and he also provided the deer, what would we have been eating if he hadn't?" She asked rather astutely.

"Fucking capybara's." I whined.

"What the fuck is a capybara Edward?" She laughed as we began the walk back to the beach.

"It's a hideous rodent that has grown to the size of a dog that looks like shit and tastes just as bad." I shuddered.

"Are you saying that from experience?" Again with the giggling.

"Uhuh. I certainly am. When Carlisle first bought this place he bought me here to check it out before he gave it as his gift to Esme. We turned up after being told there was a thriving wildlife population – to the humans who sold it to him that was a selling point you see, they thought he was a bird watcher or nature lover or something – but when we got here the place was overrun with those horrible little bastards. Of course once we were here we had no choice but to feed off them. I did it only once that whole trip. I was so hungry by the end of the second week I had to. After that I preferred to swim to the mainland and feed there."

She was laughing so loudly by the time I finished she'd scared off anything worth eating. I wasn't hungry now anyway.

Well, I wasn't hungry for blood now anyway.

**BPOV**

I woke to the sound of the water crashing against the sand not twenty feet from our bedroom doors.

The smell of the salt and the total serenity calmed me instead of waking me in a panic, not knowing where I was. I knew where I was. I was in bed, with my husband, on our honeymoon and I was blissfully happy.

I rolled over and came face to face with my own personal god. "Good morning beautiful." He whispered before kissing me softly. "I've been waiting patiently for you to wake up." He chuckled against my cheek.

I wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled myself up against him. "Sorry I slept so long, what time is it? Actually, what day is it?"

"It's Friday love and it's midday." He told me and I gasped.

"You let me sleep that long? What a waste." I mumbled and shifted so I could get out of the bed.

"Stay." He whispered as he reached out and took hold of my hip. "Come back here." He pulled me back to him, as I had been before and began to nip and suck at my neck and throat. "There is no such thing as wasted time here Bella." I groaned as I felt his warm tongue slide up from my shoulder to the hollow below my ear. "We can do everything and nothing." He blew his hot breath into my ear making me shudder up against him. "I suggest we stay right here, in this bed." And with that he rolled over pinning me underneath him.

By the time we got out of that bed it was dark again. We'd actually spent the entire day in the bed. I left it once to shower and so did he, but other than that it was an entire night and day in bed. Bliss.

When midnight rolled around again my thirst began to take over my thoughts and I couldn't ignore it any longer. It was virtually impossible for Edward to be too far from me when we fed, as the island just wasn't big enough to allow for it. So I'd gotten more and more used to him being within hearing and scent range as I drank from my kill. I no longer felt any urge to protect my prey or myself so we began experimenting. Of course he didn't need to feed anywhere near as often as I did, in fact in the four days we'd been on the island he'd fed only once, that first day.

He always let me have my head when I was very thirsty, but if my ache was manageable and I felt in a fair amount of control he began to come closer as I drank. He closed the distance slowly and carefully so as to not appear to be stalking towards me. He spoke to me the whole time either verbally or silently and constantly reassured me he wasn't coveting my kill. My brain knew that, of course, but now and then I couldn't suppress the low menacing growl and he would back off. Then he'd advance again.

By the time Friday rolled around he was stood right beside me as I pulled the writhing puma into my lap.

It was hard to say which desire was strongest for me at those times, my hunger for my kill or for my husband. But as our trip went along my lust for Edward was beginning to outweigh the bloodlust.

I held the furious animal still and looked to where he stood. I looked up into his glorious face and saw and heard his lust for me. I was ready to share.

"Come." I begged, holding the neck of the puma out a little ways away from me, showing him what I meant. My venom was dripping from my canines like a waterfall and I was aching to sink my teeth into the warm flesh.

"Are you sure?" He checked.

"Come." I begged again and lowered my head to its neck. I waited until he was kneeling in front of me, on the opposite side of the puma's neck, then I licked my lips in preparation. I kept my eyes on him, he kept his eyes on me.

'_I'll run if you growl, don't be offended, I'll just run.' _He told me silently as he bared his teeth and licked them.

All I could do was whimper in response as the scent of his sweet venom came across the animal towards me.

I could hear the thumping of the cats heart and was desperate to have it now. With one last look into his eyes I lowered my mouth and closed my lips over its jugular. As it's pulse pushed its blood down my throat I heard Edward groan and I raised my eyes to watch as he clamped his mouth over a lower portion of the puma's throat. He was sucking frantically, opening and closing his eyes as the warmth fluid rushed down his throat. The rumbling moan came from his throat first then mine.

'_Fucking succulent.'_ He was thinking as he drank.

Fucking gorgeous was what I was thinking as I watched him.

It was over far too soon of course, there was never going to be enough blood in it to satisfy us both, but we'd achieved our goal. We'd shared the hunt.

He stood first. He stepped away a little and was waiting for me to get to my feet before he approached or spoke. He needn't have worried. I was in good control. Of my bloodlust that is. My lust for Edward on the other hand was raging out of control.

I think he understood that when I pushed him roughly to the ground and tore his clothes from his marble hard body. "I want you." I ground out between my gritted teeth. "Right fucking now." I punctuated that with a strong bite to his neck as I pulled my panties aside and slid myself onto his length rather unceremoniously.

"Oh fuck Bella." He hissed as I took him.

The instant we were connected and I knew he could hear me without needing to speak I told him exactly what it had done to me to see him feed from my kill. 'I'll never want to feed alone again Edward.' I told him as I sped up above him.

'_So hot Bella…I've never felt anything like it…it tasted better…fuck, so good…faster baby.' _He begged and I obliged.

'You're so beautiful when you feed Edward…I was jealous your lips were wrapped around its neck.' I told him as I rode him harder, faster.

He pulled me over so that I was under him then. He was panting heavily as he began to thrust forcefully into me. I bucked and writhed to get as much friction as I could and in minutes I was ready to explode around him. 'So close baby…I love you…I'm gonna…yes, there…I'm…I'm…yessss.' I hissed as it flooded through me, my whole body shaking and shivering as the intense climax overwhelmed all my senses at once.

I clutched at his hair and pulled his mouth back to mine and I heard him announce the approach of his release. I bit down on his tongue and wrapped my ankles around him and pulled him as deeply as I could inside me. When I felt the first hot burst escape him and enter me I growled what I knew to be true for us both, "Mine."


	61. Chapter 61

Chapter 61 Game On

**EPOV**

We've both felt like grieving when our time away came to its end all too soon.

We'd promised to come back to the island every chance we got, possibly every single anniversary would be spent here if Esme would allow it. The memory of the white room would be with us for eternity, what we'd done in and on the island would too. I'd never been so happy as I'd been there, with my wife.

We'd hunted together, sharing the actual kill, every time since Friday. Bella was getting more and more accepting of me being near her and we'd progressed to the point where she could now share my kill. She still preferred to take the animal down for herself and then offer it to me; she said it was because she felt more in control of the situation that way, that offering it to me meant she wouldn't be surprised in any way when I joined her. But no disaster occurred the one time we tried it turn about.

We'd spent hours in the water and by the time we were climbing back into the boat on Sunday evening Bella was a natural at swimming without breathing. It was a difficult skill to master because your brain tells you to draw in a breath before you submerge therefore you need to let it out at some point. Also, learning to block your nose without touching it was tricky; of course my Bella had it licked in three short days.

Our relationship had grown in the week we'd been away too. With unlimited time to ourselves we'd discovered more common ground. Music of course we'd known about from the beginning but we found we also shared a love of astrology and to a lesser extend mythology. We'd spent hours discussing the various topics and I'd come to understand a little more about the complexities of her mind. As closed off as it was to me I found her endlessly interesting as she shared her views and ideas with me.

We'd walked – and run – the length and breadth of the island numerous times, each time Bella had her beloved camera swinging from its strap around her neck. She took thousands of shots that week. I encouraged her to edit them if she desired but she'd insisted on bringing multiple memory cards instead. Her reasoning was that sometimes what looked good on the little viewing screen wasn't always the case and what looked horrible could sometimes be discarded before its true value could be seen on a full sized monitor or in print. So she filled half a dozen memory cards from all over the island and planned to edit them in her new darkroom when we got home.

Home. It was in interesting concept. We had a home. A home of our own. I was eager to get there and begin our life together but not at the expense of our privacy on the island. I did miss the family, there was no denying it to either Bella or myself because she instantly knew my truths from reading me. But I would miss the unconditional aloneness we had on the island.

I did want to be home so that I could assist in the eradication of our trio of stalkers but also I wanted to stay on the island where they could never find us.

Bella had said she wasn't afraid, she knew the family would protect her and the baby, and of course she was now well equipped to protect herself. She'd told me that she too missed the family but, like me, she would miss this peace.

We both knew that when we returned we had but three short weeks before our child would be ready to be born and the next phase of our lives would begin. We'd be parents. We'd spent hours talking about that. About our expectations, our fears, our hopes for our child. I wasn't surprised to learn that she was anxious about taking care of a baby and I doubt she was surprised when I confessed to feeling the same. Neither of us had any experience with that. Renee had offered her expertise of course and we both admitted to being grateful that she would be close by while our child was small.

Renee had had a chance to speak with Nathaniel to learn all she could about his brief childhood and his growth rates. She had assured Carlisle that she was armed with as much information as he was and that she'd be on hand to help in any way she could. Everyone felt good about that, Renee was, after all the expert in all things child related.

Over the course of our honeymoon Bella had grown again. A lot. Carlisle's prediction had been quite correct. Her belly now bulged out and was unmistakable from any vantage point or direction. She was quite obviously very, very heavily pregnant now. Her ankles and wrists were swollen on the journey from Rio back to Houston and they only settled down again after we'd been back on the ground for a few hours. Of course they flared up again, including some lower backache and a heightened thirst and burning, as we'd flown from Houston to Sea-Tac. The burn and thirst I could help with and I'd whipped her through the airport and out into the back woods of the city to hunt the instant I was able to. She said she was feeling a bit better but wasn't keen on the short flight to Forks regional, so I called ahead to the big house to let them know we'd hire a car and drive home instead.

Carlisle had assured us that everything Bella was experiencing was normal and that there was no danger to either her or the baby because of it. It was an altitude and pressure problem caused only from flying.

We hunted again just as we came to the outskirts of Forks, knowing we'd be mugged the instant we got home and there'd be no time after that.

We both began to get excited as the driveway approached but Bella still asked me to pull over a few miles from it and I obliged.

**BPOV**

This was going to be our last chance to be alone, truly alone, probably for the rest of our lives and I wanted to tell him a few things. When the car came to a complete stop and he'd put it in gear and switched it off I asked him to get out with me. I couldn't stretch across the console anymore, my belly was just too big.

So we got out and I leaned against the door frame and he came to stand in front of me, his hands resting on my hips, how he found them I have no idea.

"What is it love?" He asked, worried something was wrong.

"Nothings wrong Edward." I assured him and put my hands into his hair. "These are our last moments alone. I just wanted to say thank you. For everything. For loving me, for marrying me, for having this baby with me, for taking me to the island, for everything. I love you Edward." I told him as sincerely as I could manage.

"Oh Bella." He sighed, putting his forehead on mine. "You don't have to say thank you for that. It's me who should be thanking you." He let his hands come forward to caress by enormous belly. "Thank you Bella, for all you've given me. I love you Bella." He announced and then he kissed me very, very softly at the corner of my mouth. "Come on, let me get you home. You'll be more comfortable there."

He helped me back into the car and then we made our way to the big house.

It was as we'd predicted. Loud, boisterous as they asked a million questions, and long. It was past midnight before we managed to get away and back to our tiny little paradise in the woods.

When I woke the next morning Edward was already up and moving. He'd unpacked our honeymoon luggage and had put everything either away or into the little laundry to wash.

My camera and its bag were on top of my dresser ready for me to play with and I noticed a small row of shells along the windowsill next to the bed. I smiled when I thought of them. We'd collected them only the day before. They weren't exceptionally amazing, just little shells. They hadn't been selected because of colour or shape or any describable feature I particular. We'd just wanted to bring something tangible home with us. So Edward had scooped up a handful of the pale sun bleached shells and had slid them into the pocket of my shorts.

Now they were lined up like little soldiers in front of the window. I'd be able to see them every day and remember the island. They, and he, were perfect.

I showered and dressed and was ready to go back to the big house by the time Edward had finished what should've been my chores.

Rose was rushing about like a headless chicken when we got there. Today was to be her first day working at the garage and she was nervous. Everyone assured her she'd be fine and she'd spoken to Sam several times in the preceding days – Carlisle told us – so there was nothing to worry about. But she did.

I spent the day in my darkroom developing some of the pictures I'd taken on the island. Edward was never very far away. He spent most of his time on his baby grand, perfecting a new composition. I was serenaded all day long with the beautiful sounds he made that piano make.

By the time Rose returned, full of gossip and news, I had a full packet of shots to show the family and Edward was happy with the progress he'd made on his tune.

We spent a really nice evening sitting in the living room showing the family the photos I'd taken and talking about Rose's first day at work.

I was asleep on the sofa long before the others were done talking.

I woke in our bed the next morning. Edward must have carried me. it was his beautiful face I saw when I first opened my eyes.

**EPOV**

She was sleeping longer and longer now.

It was obvious she was growing daily. Her weight chart no longer had any blank spaces where she'd maintained her weight. Every space had an inky black number in it now. Much to Bella's disgust.

I was having a tough time convincing her how beautiful she was even though she heard it from everyone around her all the time.

I took my time showing her how much I desired her that morning. We were so late getting to the house that Rose had already left as had Carlisle and he was scheduled for a later shift. What can I say? She's hot.

I hated to leave her but I was going to have to leave her with Esme in a week's time because school was set to resume. We'd argued about it over and over but in the end I made her see reason. I was expected at school. I had to go back. Of course they knew we'd been married over the holidays but nobody at the school had any idea Bella was pregnant.

Rose and Emmett had decided to give high school a miss this semester and Carlisle had agreed and informed the school the two older Cullen's were leaving. Rose to begin her 'apprenticeship' at Sam's garage, Emmett's excuse was he was going to do a prevocational course in readiness to attend the community college in September in his chosen field of construction.

So when Rose went into town to the garage of a morning Emmett went too and continued on to the college. They were blissfully happy to be able to be moving onto the next phase of their lives in the eyes of the humans around us.

So that left Jasper, Alice and me to put up with the morons at Forks High School until September, at least. I had no intention of going back once the baby was born and Carlisle was aware of that. So the story would be that Bella and I were moving away to begin college early, with placements found in an early admissions scheme. Nobody needed to know we were still at home or in the little cottage in the woods. We didn't go into public too often and when we did it could be easily explained that we were home for visits or breaks.

Of course in a few years we'd have to move on from Forks anyway, our never changing appearances made it impossible to stay for too long. Charlie and Renee knew about this but had chosen to ignore it and take it as it comes for now.

So for that week our routine stayed fairly simple. Bella and I would sleep at the cottage and come to the big house in the morning, mostly we'd get there in time to see Rose and Emmett, but sometimes not. It usually depended on how good – or bad depending on which side of the fence you were on – I was at getting Bella to stay in bed with me.

Once we made it to the big house Bella would spend her day with Esme or in her darkroom working on her pictures. I would play or write or hang out with Carlisle in his study if he was home.

Jasper and Alice did their own thing pretty much all the time. We didn't see much of them. Alice often dragged Jasper to Port Angeles or Seattle to shop for the baby or they were tucked up in their suite together. They had always been very insular and having Bella around didn't change that too much. Of course Alice made her presence known if she was in the house when we were by yelling at me if I had any thoughts on taking Bella away after the baby was born for some more alone time. But that usually just resulted in me promising they were errant thoughts and I really had no intention of acting on them. Bella on the other hand knew better.

The week was broken in a rather interesting way. On Wednesday night Charlie and Renee came to visit. We were still unable to go there, as we knew they were being watched, so they came to the main house to see us after their dinner.

While Renee was busy visiting with Bella and Esme, Charlie pulled me outside onto the deck for a quiet word.

I assumed he wanted to ask how Bella was going without her hearing but I was stunned when he actually asked me to sit down on one of the deck chairs and proceeded to ask me if I knew anything about a tall tale Mike Newton was telling around town.

I did my best to keep a straight face – after all I was the consummate liar – and told Charlie I hadn't heard either the tale or of anything to do with the details. I asked him to tell me what the story was.

"Well now, I can't give you all the details, it's official police information you understand, but the gist of the story is that he was at his fathers sporting good shop minding his own business the day before your wedding when three thugs broke in and abducted him." Charlie spoke calmly and evenly but I could tell from his thoughts he had already connected the dots. Three thugs equaled me, Jasper and Emmett. "We checked the place out and there was nothing to see, no trace evidence at all. So whoever took him that day was fast, smart and clean." Again he'd instantly thought of us three when those facts came to light. "Now the next bit gets a bit weird, but essentially he's saying he was threatened, stripped and left for dead in the middle of a forest. They took his phone his clothes and his shoes and left him there. They didn't say a word other than to tell him to shut up at various intervals."

"I see. And can you tell me why you think that I might know something about this? After all, he isn't a friend of mine and I was very busy with wedding preparations that day, in fact, I was at your house Charlie, that was the day I came to talk to you."

Charlie merely raised his eyebrows at me and thought over what I'd said.

"Well now, see that's exactly why I'm thinking you might have either heard about this or had something to do with it. See, you aren't known to be on friendly terms with Mr Newton. And as for your alibi, if that's what you were thinking you could use as one, your visit with me that day was rather brief. The shop was still open when you left my house that day son and this happened after closing. So that's not gonna fit, is it?" he chuckled darkly. "So, you see, coupled with the information I was given by a third party, the gossip around town was that Mr Newton was unhappy at having been left off the invitation list to your wedding and was planning to crash it. Now, if that information made it's way to you I can see why you'd be interested in Mr Newton being, ah, indisposed for a day or so around the time of your nuptuals." He said rather astutely I thought.

"Right. Well I came home straight after seeing you Charlie. There were heaps of us here that day, plenty of them would tell you I was here, where I was supposed to be." I smiled sweetly. I knew I was done. He knew I'd had a hand in it. No point pretending to be too dumb. I'd see where this was going before I said anything more.

"I see. I thought that's what you'd say and you're right. There were a dozen people here who have sworn to me that you were present and accounted for that whole afternoon and evening. So I guess you're in the clear." He said it sort of begrudgingly and I had a hell of a time keeping my thoughts and my smug laughter to myself.

"Great." Was all I could say. I was going to leave it there and go back inside when he put his hand on my shoulder, holding me in my seat a little longer.

"See, that might be great for you but it's not so great for me. I'm the law in this town son, I have to be seen to be doing something when someone tells me they've been abducted. Now, I'll admit I didn't immediately think of you and your brothers, but after Mr Newton told me a bit about his car ride I started thinking. You see, you guys were smart to stay quiet on the drive, I'll give you that. Stripping him was a good idea too, hard to hitch a ride when you're buck-naked. And while there's nothing I can do about this without exposing you – and by association my own daughter – you might want to think twice about who you growl at son." And while I was sat there gaping he chuckled and made to go back into the house. He stopped before he opened the glass door, turned to me one more time and said, "Oh yeah, and the next time you abduct someone bury the clothes, don't fling them out of the car windows as you pass by the Rangers hut. Idiots." He chuckled and went inside.

Bella had raised mighty hell when I'd come back inside. She'd dragged me off to our room upstairs and all but flogged me. I knew she knew what we'd done that day, Alice had spilled her guts and Bella had been in the room with Alice when we'd phoned her to thank her for the tip. So I was less than amused that I was in trouble now when I'd not been in trouble for it then. But hey, I loved her and she was fucking hot when she was pissy.

Oh yeah, and make up sex is awesome.

Sunday night was agonizing. Bella was as distraught as she had been the first time I'd gone to school after her change. I could do nothing about it other than reassure her she was perfectly safe at the big house with Esme and Carlisle there. Alice and I were only a phone call away if anything happened and while I wasn't at all happy myself about being separated from her for even the six hours school occupied, I was sure I was doing the right thing.

**BPOV**

By the time I woke on Monday morning Edward Alice and Jasper were gone away to school and I was miserable. Edward insisted we sleep at the big house on the Sunday night so that I didn't have to wake up and go to the house only to go back to sleep again.

So for the first time since before I was married I woke up in our room at the big house. I showered in the black glass shower and felt strangely at home again. Esme was humming softly, as she usually was, when I came downstairs and I spent a leisurely, if somewhat lonely day with her.

I was waiting for them to come home from school on the front stairs as I had always been before and as usual Edward was out of the car and in my arms before Alice had fully stopped her car.

I was too big to be borne off to the upstairs room but Edward wasted no time taking me home to the cottage and showing me, very thoroughly, how much he'd missed me that day. I was so big now it was becoming increasingly difficult finding suitable positions in the bedroom department. Of course on top was fine and side by side, back to chest was okay, but other than that I was finding it a bit tricky to achieve any kind of release.

Edward was infinitely patient, often just happy to lay with me while I slept. But my desire for him was raging out of control and with no release I became more and more cranky and belligerent as the days went on.

I was awake before he needed to leave on Tuesday morning, which was a rarity now. We were getting ready to go to the big house so he could drive to school with Alice and Jasper. I had a bag packed with my memory sticks of pictures and my phone and keys and Edward had already packed his schoolbooks into his book bag. We were about to leave and were locking the front door when Edward stiffened and slipped into a defensive crouch.

"Get back inside." He hissed, scaring the shit out of me. I was about to protest when he snarled at me, "Get the fuck inside Isabella."

I wasted no time after that and I went inside. He had his phone in his hand and was dialing before the latch on the door clicked behind me. "Get here, now." He hissed into it then snapped it shut. "Stay in the house, lock the doors." He told me as he began to pace up and down the little path. He stayed in his crouch and venom flew from his teeth as he hissed and snorted. '_Fucking bastards…don't come any closer…fucking dirty…fucking bastards…' _

That's when I knew our 'friends' had come onto Cullen land. I ran to the back of the cottage and grabbed the lock box that sat on a little shelf in our closet. I sat on the edge of the bed and waited for some sound, some signal that I could run.

I heard the others coming through the woods, they were coming fast. I couldn't hear the other three though, they must be far enough away for their scent and sound to be unreadable by me but close enough for Edward's gift to pick up their thoughts.

"Where?" Emmett grunted when the group arrived at our home.

"Two and a half miles, they've split up. East, north and west, converging here. They know this place but I've not smelled them near here." Edward filled the family in on the situation.

"I'll take Jasper, we'll go east." Carlisle said and I could hear their footsteps as they tore off through the trees.

"Esme and I will go west." Emmett announced and they too were gone.

"That leaves you and me brother." Rose said and I heard Edward tell me to stay put, that Alice was staying with me just in case she could see something, and then his mental voice faded as he and his sister went off north in search of their prey.

Alice knocked daintily on the front door and I went and unlocked it. She hugged me tightly and sat me on the little sofa in the living room. She took the lock box from my frozen hands and began to try to calm me down.

"It's okay Bella. Really it is. They aren't so close that they can hurt you and I'll see them long before they get near here." She assured me.

I didn't want to tell her that I was more worried about what was happening out there than what was likely to happen in here. Edward was too far for me to read and I was anxious and scared for my family as they ran through the forest to protect me.

We heard nothing for a long time. Even Alice was getting antsy. She closed her eyes often and every time she did I hoped it was so she could see her vision and then she'd be able to tell me something. But she never did. She would just reopen her eyes, smile at me and go back to sitting still and waiting in silence.

**EPOV**

"You won't get another chance like this Victoria." I snarled at her as she backed up, scanning the area for a direction to flee.

"Neither will you Cullen." She hissed. _'I told them not to split up. Idiots.' _She was thinking as she hissed at me again.

She took off at the speed of light and I was left standing in the clearing watching her. Fuck she was fast. "Come around." I shouted to Rose and she tore off through the trees in the other direction.

I ran like I'd never run before. The scenery was beginning to blur I flew so fast across the frozen ground. I had no idea where she was running to, I wondered idly if it would matter in the end.

I was determined not to let her reach the sea as James had the last time we had this chance but it was beginning to become obvious that was where she was headed. She began to taunt me, as James had, as she neared the cliffs where our meadow met the headland.

'_I'm gonna jump in if she hits that water.' _Rose told me and I roared.

I had no idea where her companions were, I couldn't hear them and I'd heard nothing from my family, other than Rose, since we'd split up. if Victoria hit the water she was home free, I knew Rose knew that.

And that's exactly what happened, again. Victoria came to the cliffs and launched herself off them without a thought. She was swimming for her life before either Rose or I got there. I pulled Rose up by her collar, she was foaming at the mouth, she wanted in the water, she wanted the fight over now.

"Leave her Rose. It's done." I shouted as Rose fought me off.

"Let me go Edward, come on, she's no faster than me in the water. Let me go." She writhed and bucked but I held her tight.

"Let her go." I said more quietly and Rose stilled. "Fuck." She yelled as Victoria turned and waved then went back under the waves and was lost to our sight.

**BPOV**

"Edward's chased Victoria to the cliffs, she's in the water now, they're coming back." Alice announced without warning.

"Okay." I whispered. What else could I say?

She closed her eyes again, groaned and sucked in a deep breath. "Oh no, Emmett no." She howled as if she was in pain and I held my breath.

"What is it Alice?" I yelled.

"Emmett left Esme on the line they were traveling and tried to come at Laurent from another direction. Laurent has sensed he's only being pursued by one now and has turned back. Emmett's gone on too far ahead, Esme is alone." She cursed.

The thought of tiny little Esme facing Laurent terrified me. I watched as Alice closed her eyes again. She drew in a sharp breath, let it out and opened her eyes. She was grinning, thank god. "Esme has ambushed him, she's taken a sizable chunk off his right hand, and he's run off towards the water, he's not happy." She laughed.

Way to go Esme. I relaxed when I heard Edward's mental voice, he was a ways away still but I could hear him as he ran next to Rose. _'Alice would have phoned if there was trouble at the cottage. No news is good news.' _He was thinking as he ran back to me.

"Jaz and Carlisle are heading back, James went into the water at the farthest point where the river ends. Two minutes Edward and Rose will be here. Emmett's met back up with Esme, they're coming in fast too." Alice told me and I relaxed a little more.

"Thank god." I whispered.

Alice came to sit by me and held me while we waited. Edward burst into the room and pulled me out of Alice' arms and into his. He inhaled into my hair, checked me over from head to foot, and patted my belly. "Thank you." He told Alice and then he took me back into our bedroom.

He laid me down gently onto our bed and climbed in beside me. Holding me tightly to him he kissed my hair. "They won't ever get any closer, I promise." He told me.

"I know." I whispered.

"Victoria is ready to pull out and go back to the city. She's overwhelmed at our numbers, she's lost confidence that James and Laurent can pull this off without one of them losing their lives." He snorted as he said the word lives.

"Good, hopefully she'll convince the other two to fuck off too." I chuckled darkly.

Edward laughed too, but it wasn't his usual carefree laugh. It was dark and brooding and he was planning in his mind how best to destroy the three of them. His chosen methods frightened me far more than what they were planning to do to me. It was the first time I'd wished I'd bothered to learn how to block his thoughts.

**EPOV**

"No." I said emphatically.

"Okay son. I can see you won't change your mind, I don't blame you, but I promised Esme I'd ask." Carlisle said resignedly.

Alice and Jasper had gone off to school without me that day. I had refused to go then and I was refusing to go now. Carlisle had eventually given up insisting and had phoned the school to tell them I wouldn't be back. They weren't happy and had insisted Carlisle come in at some stage to fill out the forms releasing me from the school system, but they couldn't force me to attend even if I was, legally, only seventeen. As far as they knew I wouldn't be eighteen until June. The story was that I'd accepted a place in an advanced placement course and that was where I was starting next Monday.

Bella had been taken hunting by Alice and Emmett, Alice having seen that I needed to speak with Carlisle in private.

"She's so close now Carlisle, she's bigger every day. She's uncomfortable and sleeps for such a long time. I'm worried we're going to miss our chance." I told him truthfully.

It had been nagging at me for a few days now. She only had around two weeks to go, in human terms that meant she would be 34 or 35 weeks along. It was safe for babies to be born then, as long as there were no other underlying circumstances to say otherwise. And whilst I knew we didn't have the information to hand to prove that, I wanted Bella delivered now.

I didn't want to wait until we were forced to react, as we had been with her change. I'd learned my lesson with that.

"I know, I am too." He answered and that shocked me. I was sure he'd fight me on this. "I think we should do it in the next few days. The baby is big enough to be in good condition if it's born now and it will do Bella no good to get any bigger. If she can't defend herself it won't matter if she'd delivered." He said quietly and I thought hard about what he'd just said.

"You're right. But she won't like this Carlisle. She won't agree to this easily. Rose will fight us on this too, they all will probably." I ran a hesitant hand through my hair. I wondered if Alice could see the outcome if we did this now?

"I'll talk with Alice, see if she can see anything. She tells me Bella is getting a little more clear, but not the baby." Carlisle replied, seemingly knowing where my thoughts were heading without me having to put voice to them.

I didn't want to ask my next question, but at some point we were going to have to decide who would bite Bella open. I knew it should be me but wasn't completely sure I could actually do it. "Do you…how do you think we should…I don't know if…" I couldn't even finish the question. I'd have to leave it alone for now.

"Talk to Bella. See how she feels about delivering tomorrow or the next day. Then we'll sort out the logistics." He said gravely.

"I will." I told him, though I had no idea how I was going to approach such a conversation with my wife.

**BPOV**

I'd read it from his mind well before our approach to the cottage. He'd talked to Carlisle and they'd decided, for my own good as well as the baby's, that he – or she – needed to be delivered as soon as possible. In the next few days. Possibly tomorrow.

Alice stilled as we got about half a mile from the cottage, she clutched at my arm and Emmett broke from his run and doubled back to stand next to me while Alice absorbed the vision that was hitting her full force.

After a moment or two her features softened, her stance relaxed a little and then she smiled.

"Baby shower, tomorrow at the Rez." She giggled and went back to running towards my little house.

"Fantastic." I grumbled. "Another fucking party."


	62. Chapter 62

Chapter 62 And Baby Makes Three

**BPOV**

I pushed my fingers through his hair and tried to calm him as best I could.

We'd not moved for hours, I was happy to just lay there with him. I was too big to do too much now anyway. A part of me was pleased that tomorrow would be the last day I had to feel this helpless, this big, this full. Oh, the full feeling I wouldn't miss!

Edward hadn't had to work too hard to convince me it was the best plan of action both for myself and for our baby. I could see that he thought I'd put up a big fight, but I could see the logic in being proactive. I too had learned my lesson when we'd left the Jacob situation to chance. I wasn't willing to risk the safety of our child for the sake of another week of the pregnancy.

I'd listened intently as he outlined the pros and cons of delivering early in human pregnancy but had agreed that this was the right way to go.

We'd talked for a bit about the situation with the three nomads and while Edward had clung to his knowledge that Victoria had been hell bent on convincing her nest mates to pull out of their plan I wasn't quite so willing to accept that was a given.

This child was worth fighting for. I loved it. I'd protect it till the end, I'd die for it. If Victoria wanted a child even only half as much as I wanted this one – and she'd had more than half a century of living with that want – I'd wager she was more than willing to hang around and try to take mine.

James and Victoria knew this was their best ever chance to get what they wanted, a partially immortal child that they wouldn't always feel the need to want to drink from. It was such a rare occurrence and yet Edward was unwilling to believe they would hang in till the end.

I let him think whatever he wished, I could do nothing to change his mind.

**EPOV**

I was pacing, she knew I was pacing and I knew she knew why, but there was nothing that would make me say the words out loud.

I could hear her shifting around in our bedroom; she was dressing in readiness for the baby shower. I continued to pace up and down the little living room. My hair felt as though it had already been yanked from its roots despite it still clinging there. I'd shoved my fists into the pockets in my jeans so roughly and so often in the last hour the stitching had given on one and the other had frayed already.

She came down the little hallway and came to stand by me at the window. I felt her little hand tuck itself into mine and I allowed myself half a second to be happy, content as we had been just a week ago.

"It's okay Edward." She whispered, kissing my shoulder. "I don't even need to know the details. If you and Carlisle are ready to do it then I don't care who or how. I trust you."

It was a phenomenal statement and I looked down at her wide-eyed lest I'd misheard. "What?" I asked, incredulous.

"It doesn't matter Edward." She whispered again.

"How can you say that? One of us is going to have to use our teeth Bella, one of us is going to rip into your body, how can you say it doesn't matter to you?" I could feel my frustration getting the better of me.

"It doesn't matter to me Edward. You spent an age worrying about who would change me and in the end it didn't matter, did it?" She asked and I nodded, that was true. "I see this the same way. I didn't care who changed me as long as it meant I got you. I don't care who bites me Edward as long as we get our baby out safely." And with that she picked up her bag and stood at the door ready to leave.

Could it be that simple?

She laughed lightly, "Yes Edward, it really can be just that simple. Come on beautiful man, I've got a party to get to and you've got preparations to make."

**BPOV**

"No, don't worry about it Esme, I'll take the Guardian you come along when you're ready." I told her as we were getting ready to leave for the Rez. Esme was cooking something rather elaborate but it wasn't quite ready to be put into its container and put into the car.

We were due at the Rez at midday and it was already five after.

"Are you sure dear?" She asked hesitantly.

"Of course. It's a ten minutes drive and I'm in the Guardian. I'll go now, Renee and Sue are waiting and Alice will have a fit it this goes wrong." I giggled and Esme joined in.

"All right then, if you're sure." She thought on it for another half a second and then she crinkled up her eyes and grimaced. "I'd feel better if we asked Alice first. Let me call her, to make sure."

I nodded, knowing it was futile to argue. So I sat on the sofa and put my swollen ankle on the coffee table while I waited.

I was getting kind of excited about the baby finally being born. I knew it was wrong of me to feel that way, about the _finally_ part of my thought. Human women had to contend with this for three times as long as I'd had to and I was getting out of it much lighter than they would be. I should be magnanimous but that was hard when your ribs were aching from being kicked and all you wanted was blood, blood and more blood.

"Okay Alice, I'll send her now." Esme was saying into the little cell phone as she came back into the living room. She clicked it shut and sat beside me on the sofa. "Alice says she can't see any problems with you going on ahead." She patted my belly and helped me stand.

"So I'll see you there in half an hour." And she agreed. With one last pat to my belly I went out to the car and began the drive to La Push.

**EPOV**

Emmett was ahead of me carrying the biggest of the boxes out to his Jeep. Jasper stood up against it casually, he was holding the clear plastic top from a humidicrib. Carlisle was behind me and he was trying his best to look nonchalant as we walked out of the hospital with armfuls of equipment and supplies. Of course nobody questioned us. But it was still a risk of sorts.

Once it was all loaded into the car we all piled in and headed for home.

The instant Emmett was driving I had my cell phone in my hand dialing. It rang out. That worried me. When it went to Bella's voicemail I left a brief message asking how she was feeling and how the baby shower was progressing. I closed my phone with a sigh.

"What's up bro?" Emmett asked.

"Nothing, I don't think." I felt my eyebrows coming together but didn't really know if there was any cause for concern or not.

"Spill." Jasper said. "You're scared all of a sudden, what gives?" He was anxious now too. Great.

"I don't think it's anything, really. I tried to call Bella but she didn't answer. That happens, right?" I asked them and they all nodded, but did so very quietly.

Emmett very subtly – well, as subtly as Emmett could ever be – slammed his foot on the gas and the Jeep lurched forward increasing its speed two fold.

Then Jasper had his phone in his hand and I noticed his thoughts were already bracing for bad news. "Hello darlin', how is Bella fairing at your little soiree?" He drawled into the handset.

I didn't allow myself the luxury to panic until I heard Alice' reply. _"She's not here yet."_ She said and I knew, I just knew, something had happened.

Of course the others had heard the conversation and they all began to prepare themselves for whatever we'd face when we got to the house. Carlisle was calling Esme; Emmett had swung the huge Jeep off the highway and was now barreling down our street, desperate to get there as fast as he possibly could. Jasper was replaying his battle strategies in his mind, preparing for a fight that now seemed destined to happen.

I held my breath. There was nothing else I could do until I knew what the problem was.

I had the weirdest sense of déjà vu as we drove up the driveway. My brain expected me to see the Volvo parked off to the side, Bella in the front seat and either James or Laurent standing by it threatening her. _That _I knew how to fix. We'd fight, they'd die. Just as Jacob had.

When that wasn't the scene we drove up upon I was dazed. Esme was in the driveway packing food containers into her car. So Bella must still be here? Esme wouldn't be out here mucking about with food if Bella were in danger, all must be well. Bella's cell must have a flat battery or she'd left it in the cottage by accident.

Thank god.

The thoughts of the boys in the Jeep were very similar to mine. They each assessed the scene before us as we came closer to Esme's car and they each decided, as I had, that Bella must still be inside.

Carlisle was out of the car the minute we stopped fully. He ran to Esme and held her firmly by her shoulders, pleading with her to tell him where Bella was.

Esme looked put out, offended at Carlisle's heavy-handedness. She looked up at him with a worried look and I felt the very smallest, faintest stab of fear. When she replied the roar that came out of my lungs frightened even Emmett.

"She went on ahead to the Rez. She'll be there by now, she left half an hour ago." Esme said.

**BPOV**

Whatever it was that crashed against the side of the Guardian had been heavy I thought as I got out to see what I'd hit. I could see the entrance to the Rez only a few hundred meters ahead and I wondered if I should just drive in and send someone back out to take a look.

It was probably an animal of some sort but the idea that I'd hit it and it could now be lying helpless on the side of the gravel road bothered me.

I undid my seatbelt and got out, I waddled to the back of the car and got myself ready to see the injured animal. There was nothing there.

I went to the passenger side and looked all along the side, there was a deep dent in the door but no mark, no blood. I looked up the road a ways, back the way I'd come, thinking I'd see a deer or something on the side of the road.

I flared my nostrils but smelt no animal and no blood.

And then, there, faintly, I smelled them.

Oh no.

**EPOV**

"Alice, she left the house half an hour ago. Get out onto the road. Find her." I roared into my phone as I ran towards La Push.

Carlisle, Emmett, Jasper and Esme were close behind me but I was pulling ahead in my haste to find her. Esme was apologizing in her head the whole way but I knew the fault lay with me.

I'd tried to convince Bella that Victoria would take James and Laurent away. It was me who'd told her she was in no danger now. It was me who left her unguarded today.

I crossed their individual scents as we came nearer and nearer to the entrance to the Rez and my panic began to take a hold of me. When we reached the abandoned Guardian I sank to my knees and sobbed.

Alice stood beside it unable to process what she saw. Which of course was four fifths of fuck all because we were standing right outside the packs home.

She was running her hand along the dent in the door and I knew instantly what had happened.

When Carlisle dropped to his knees beside me and put his hand on my shoulder in support I shook myself from my grief and let my rage envelope me fully. I stood to my full height and shook from head to toe, ready to fight.

"They've ambushed her. The dent, one of them crashed into her, she'd have stopped. They've got her." I said, as sure of it as I was sure that someone was going to die today.

**BPOV**

The blonde vampire, who I assumed was James, coerced me into coming along without a fuss, threatening to just kill me and take the baby if I put up a fight.

He ran with me between him and Laurent, through the forest, to the North. Not even in the direction I knew their nest to be. I panicked at the thought that nobody would know where to come looking for me.

Of course I ignored the fact that seven very pissed off vampires would cross my scent and hunt these fuckers down until their last dying unnecessary breath.

The filthy shed loomed out of the gloom of another cloudy Forks day.

At least I thought it was a shed. It was made of metal and was all rusty. I could smell the rust and see the sunlight streaming in where it had crumbled away at the seams and corners. I was shoved inside it and the door was slammed the instant I hit the floor. I wasn't hurt, these bastards couldn't hurt me like Jake had. But I was terrified of what they'd do to my baby.

James went back outside and it was then that I heard him and Victoria whispering about all their dreams being about to come true. The sound of them kissing, touching each other in celebration, made me feel ill.

Laurent was soon crouched in front of me, his huge black hand came out and reefed my jersey up under my breasts. He put his fingers on my bare stomach. I growled but he just laughed.

I tried to sit up but he pushed me back down. "Stay there or I'll let them have their way with you once that baby is out." He snarled. Then he tilted his head to the side, rubbed his chin as though he was thinking on something of great importance. Then he smiled, squinted his beady eyes and whispered almost conspiratorially "Trust me little one, you don't want to know what they'll do to you if they get the chance. Lie still, play nice and you'll live to see your mate."

I so wanted to believe that he was saying this for my own good that he cared what happened to me once the baby was taken from me, but I knew better. I didn't know where Victoria or James were or what they planned to do so I did what came naturally.

I begged for the life of my unborn child.

**EPOV**

Everything happened so fast after that.

Our group was swept into the Rez and suddenly pack members all bursting at the seams and calling for blood surrounded us.

Sam was called and he assured the pack that he was on his way, bringing Rose and the others with him. They'd be with us in five minutes.

It was the longest five minutes I've ever spent. The not knowing was agonizing.

Would they take the baby out and kill her in the process? Would she be spared? Would she have the nous to run if she got the chance? What did I want her to do if faced with the choice to sacrifice herself or god forbid, our child?

I'd only had her for such a short time, what if I got neither of them back?

"FUCK!" I roared in frustration as the minutes ticked by.

When Sam slammed on his brakes in front of his little house he was all business. He called his pack to arms with a strangled howl and in an instant there were ten wolves – for now in their human forms - standing at attention and ready to receive their orders.

My family was ready to fight for my mate and my child. The wolves were ready to fight for what was right. I looked around the crowd and felt the full weight of what we were going to have to do to get her back and I knelt on the ground and held my head in my hands. Could I ask them to do this? Exactly who was I willing to risk to get them back? Who wouldn't come home tonight?

I felt the hand on my shoulder and then I heard his voice. _"We'll bring them back to you Edward. We'll find them." _It was Seth and he had absolutely no doubt that we could do this.

I stood, put my hand on his shoulder and nodded.

"Tell us what you need us to do, friend." Sam said in a rough, rasping voice I knew was the authorative voice of an Alpha.

I took a moment to read what Jasper was running over and I looked to where he stood beside a distraught Alice. I read with him over the plan once again and waited until he nodded his head. He was sure that was the correct plan. I looked next to Alice. She closed her eyes, looking for an outcome. She couldn't see the baby but she could see Bella on the dining room table wearing a hospital gown and Carlisle in scrubs standing beside her. She opened her eyes, found mine and nodded infinitesimally. It was the best she could do while surrounded by wolves. She had no idea if it was Jasper's plan that would give me Bella back, even in as bad shape as she obviously was on that table.

We were blind.

Carlisle was pleading with me to make a decision. He was ready to assume responsibility and give the wolves free reign to get her back but wanted me to give the order myself. His patience was waning.

I turned to the assembled crowd, took one last, long look around it and sighed. "We'll split into three groups. Here's how this is going to work." I told them with as much false bravado as I could muster.

**BPOV**

Victoria and James came back to the horrid little shed soon after and at once they were all over me. Victoria pulled at my dress, hiking it up my thighs and bunching it up underneath my chin. I fought as hard as I could but was so scared they'd hurt the baby as they took him out of me that by the time James was baring his teeth I lay totally still, in shock. Laurent's words haunted my every thought as I lay there waiting for his teeth to descend into my belly. If I lay still now I'd be able to fight once the baby was out. I had to survive this part, I had to acquiesce through this in order to have a fighting chance later. It went against every instinct I now possessed to just lie there and let this happen. But I knew it had to be this way.

My baby was about to be born to me. I should be excited. I should be breathless with anticipation. Edward should be here with me.

Instead I was filthy, in the middle of nowhere and so frightened with shock that the only thing I could think of to do to help myself was to lay still while this bastard did this to us.

I could see now that Laurent had meant what he said. Victoria was the vicious one of the pair. She had no regard for me whatsoever. She was encouraging James to just 'get it done already'. I was merely the vessel that had carried what she wanted most. Once it was removed from me she couldn't care less what happened to me. If I fought she'd kill me **then** take the baby. I couldn't let that happen.

So I closed my eyes and prepared myself for the pain of what was about to happen. I had no doubt I wouldn't feel a damn thing as the membrane around the baby was broken by his teeth, but knew my pain would be in hearing my babies first cries and then to have it disappear with these savages.

I clamped my eyes shut and hoped to god and all that was holy that I'd have enough strength to kill these fuckers myself once the baby was out.

**EPOV**

"I won't be able to see anything if there is a wolf in each group Edward." Alice was pleading.

"I know Alice, and I'm sorry about that, but without a wolf we have no means of communication between the groups. It has to be this way. Trust me." I implored her. She grudgingly gave in and the groups were duly formed.

Quil was not happy that he would be staying behind, at the Rez, with Colin and Brady and Leah's boyfriend Jack, to protect the Rez and relay information to the elders as it became available. Sue and Renee would stay at the Rez, it was the safest place for them. Alice couldn't see if Renee or Charlie were to be used as bait or leverage, but it was safer if they were with a wolf so that could be squashed at the first inkling. Quil argued that he was older than Seth and it should be Seth who stayed behind.

I heard that Sam was considering that when Carlisle stepped in. "I want Seth with me, if it pleases the Alpha?" Carlisle said diplomatically and Sam agreed. Seth went to stand with Carlisle.

Jared was sent to fetch Charlie from the station and then go with him to guard the Cullen house. If anyone managed to locate either Bella or the baby they should take them there. Carlisle would be alerted and he'd render any assistance required from the house.

"Right, group one, that's Alice, Embry and Jasper. You go north, when you meet the water double back." I had barely finished before the three of them took off.

"Group two, that's Emmett, Leah and Esme, you go west. Go as far as the western shore. Kill whatever you find." I had lost any sense of right and wrong now, now I wanted vengeance. Emmett nodded to his comrades and then they too took off.

"Carlisle, you and Seth take Sam. You'll be group three. Go east, through the town. Make sure they aren't holed up somewhere conspicuous. They didn't seem that smart, but you never know. Hiding in plain sight and all that." Seth was nodding furiously, eager to go. With a last look to my father they ran in formation out of the Rez.

"That leaves us, we're going south. Towards the national park." Rose and Paul nodded, accepting my plan and then we were running. Paul phased into his dark grey wolf form as we hit the trees. He was fast. Good.

An hour and a half had passed since Esme had last seen Bella and I didn't want to think of all that could've occurred in such a long stretch of time. I just had to hope it was too short a stretch for those bastards to accomplish much.

We crossed Victoria's scent fourteen miles due south of the reservation. We followed it another eighteen miles before it petered out. We went slightly southeast and followed a scrubby trail back towards the Rez, we were going to regroup there and go again until we were sure none of them were hiding in any southerly direction when we crossed it again. From the information coming back, via Paul's connection to his pack, there were maybe thirty false trails that had been laid in the forest in and around Forks. Our fucking friends had been busy while we had been sitting on our asses.

**BPOV**

The pain was intolerable. Worse even than my change because I could hear my baby crying and could do nothing about it!

James had used his canines to tear a gaping hole in my stomach. The metallic keening sound was hideous, it scared me almost more than what it meant. And then the pain came. As the membrane was broken I began to burn at the tear. There was no blood but I oozed an odorless liquid from the wound. Before Edward and I had had sex for the first time I'd asked Carlisle about Edward's semen, whether or not it could harm me. He'd told me that apart from the venom on our mouths, which was lethal, we made bodily fluids that contained a small trace of our venom but also other discarded body cells and fluids. I was hoping that was what this fluid was. I was hoping the gaping hole in my stomach wouldn't kill me before I had a chance to kill James.

I watched, through squinted eyes, as the bastard reared up away from me, his lips shining with the clear fluid, a smug grin on his face. He took half a second to glance at Victoria who stood as if mesmerized at the scene in front of her and then he reached inside me and pulled out a clearly shocked and mewling infant. I could see this liquid was opaque and it was covering my baby's skin as he held it aloft slightly. I tried desperately to move so that I could get a better look at the baby, to see what sex it was, I knew it was alive, the half squeal half whelp it let out as it was taken from within me told me at least that.

I screamed and writhed as Victoria leaned over my face, her rank breath half an inch from my mouth as she hissed and snarled at me to lie still or she'd kill me to shut me up.

I clamped my lips over my teeth so hard I could feel the skin giving way. A high-pitched wail came from my baby – they wouldn't even fucking tell me what sex it was or even if it was all right – as it was ripped away from me.

I watched the tiny pink face blink rapidly as it was whisked away out of my sight.

I was crying then. Crying for the loss of it. Crying for the pain. Crying for Edward.

And then they were gone.

They never looked back.

They took my baby with them.

I could hear the squealing of the infant as they ran away from me. It was the most awful sound I'd ever heard. It was desperate and at once I knew that my baby knew it was being taken from me and it knew it was wrong.

I felt the blackness falling over me and knew that I was about to die, again.

I heard the high-pitched wail only once more and said my goodbyes to Edward, the baby and the family.

**EPOV**

Embry reported from group one that they had located James' scent, it was fresh, maybe two hours old, but that it had led only to the ocean. They were doubling back as I'd instructed.

I checked my watch, two hours had passed.

I asked Paul to check in with Leah in group two. We were still running along trails to the south of the Rez but as yet we'd only found false leads. But we had to check them all, I knew the one we didn't check could lead to my wife.

Paul soon heard back from Leah that their group had a lock on Laurent's scent. He was separated from the other two, it looked as though they'd all been together recently near the edge of town but his scent now suggested he was running, fast, west towards the ocean.

I told Paul to relay that they should stick with that scent if they were sure it wasn't a false one.

I was about to ask Paul to find Sam or Seth's whereabouts for a report when a mighty howl rent the air to the east. Paul flinched then began to yowl in response.

My cell rang and I barked into it the instant I could get it open. It was Carlisle.

"I've got her. There's a shed, Sam will tell Paul where. She's in bad shape Edward, I'll take her home. The baby is gone. They've taken it with them." And then he broke the connection. I hoped to all fuck that he was already running home with her.

Paul was receiving instructions on the whereabouts of the shed when another howl rent the air, this time to the west.

Again Paul stilled where we were stood. I read in sick fascination how Esme, Leah and Emmett had run like the wind to catch up to Laurent so he did not escape into the water. Paul began to shudder and shake, Rose took a big step backwards, fearing he was about to snap at her or me, but I put a hand out and began to translate what I was seeing via Paul's connection with Leah, for Rose's benefit.

"Laurent, he's cornered at the edge of the bluffs. Esme has him backed against the rock face. He recognizes her as the one who took part of him yesterday. He's furious. Snapping and snarling, out of control. Leah has come around from the left, above him, Emmett from the right. Esme is inching closer, knowing the others will block his escape. He knows he's cornered, doesn't want the ignominy of being killed by a female. Esme is laughing at him. He's changed tack, now he's pleading." I snorted. "He's trying to bargain, saying he'll tell them where Bella is to be found. Esme is saying she already knows where Bella is, she's hissing now, telling him to tell her where her grandchild is. He's laughing." I cringed as Emmett leapt off the top of the rock and tore Laurent's arm off. He had him pinned to the ground, and was asking Esme if she can take her kill." I heard Rose suck in a hiss of air over her teeth, she was desperate to know the outcome. I wasn't sure Esme could do it. But I knew Emmett could and would. Instead I watched as Esme stepped over the now begging Laurent, tugged his face up to meet her eyes, whispered 'go back to hell' and then she tore him to shreds.

Paul whimpered slightly and I was about to comfort him, what he'd just seen wasn't pleasant, when he turned his gigantic head to me.

'_One fucker down, two fuckers to go.'_ He chuckled silently.

I watched via Paul until I saw the long billow of purple smoke that signaled the body was being burnt and then I turned back to Rose.

She was frantically begging me to tell her news of her mate. "It's done Rose. Laurent is no longer. Emmett is fine. They're on their way back here." I told her and she relaxed. "One fucker down." I mumbled as we headed off to where Sam had told us this shed was.

**BPOV**

I could hear my fathers frantic calls but a wolf, in his human form, was keeping him away. I could smell him but didn't know which wolf he was from his smell alone.

Carlisle was biting me. I wanted to scream. I wanted to thrash. I wanted to die.

The burning wasn't easing. All across my stomach was burning. I was sure that if I let my fingers trace along the wound it would feel like ash, charred.

"Please honey, lie still for me. I know you're hurting, let me help you." Carlisle began to croon softly to me as I bucked on the dining room table. He put his warm hand on my cheek and pulled my face so that he could look me in the eye over his surgical mask. "Bella, sweetheart, I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. Lie still darling girl." That's when I realized he wasn't wanting to bite me he was licking his venom across my wound. He was trying to heal me. As Alice had done the day I'd gotten my tattoo.

After that I laid as still as I could and let him work. I wanted to heal as fast as I could so I could join the search for the baby.

They were searching weren't they?

"Baby." I managed to squeak out and Carlisle raised his head from my stomach long enough to throw me a weak smile before he pulled his surgical mask back up his nose.

I looked down my body and startled when I saw Carlisle there, working over me. This what the vision Alice had seen that day, when we'd first come home from the cabin, when I'd begun to feel strange. She'd seen this. Me, here, on this table again. In a hospital gown like I was now, Carlisle in his scrubs. No baby.

They had to be searching.

As the burn began to abate I calmed slightly. A little while longer and I could go and help.

**EPOV**

Sam stood at the edge of the gravel road waiting for us to get there. The shed was off a ways, maybe a hundred feet behind where Sam now stood as a human. Seth was inside the shed. He was quiet both mentally and verbally.

We were the first of the other groups to arrive so we spent the time while waiting for the others making ourselves familiar with the new scents here. James, Victoria and a softer, sweeter scent. My childs scent.

I heard Emmett first as his group approached. He was still crowing over Esme's kill, relishing having played a part in tearing the older vampire apart. Esme too felt deeply satisfied in the part she'd played in Laurent's demise. Leah approached as a wolf but phased as she ran on towards the shed to check on Seth.

Emmett came straight to me, stood to his full height right up in my face. "It's done brother." He announced and then he hugged me tightly.

"Thank you brother." I told him sincerely.

Esme came to me then and she too hugged me. I kissed her temple and thanked her profusely. She waved me away and went towards the shed to mark the new scent.

I could hear Alice's thoughts long before her, Jasper and Embry came into view from the north. '_The baby? Where is the baby? What news of Bella?'_ She was shouting as she ran towards me.

When she reached me she pulled me roughly by the shoulder and begged me to tell her any news I had.

"Laurent's gone. Emmett has burnt the pieces." I pointed in the direction of the plume of now pale purple smoke and watched as both Jasper and Alice smiled smugly. "Bella is with Carlisle, no news. The baby is nowhere to be found. Its scent is all through the shed though, go and mark it for yourselves please." I told them.

Jasper cuffed me on the shoulder as he moved past me and on into the shed with Alice. Embry went to stand with his leader and they were soon swapping information.

Leah sprinted out of the little shack and came right to me. "You need to go to Seth, Edward." She told me. I tried to find what the problem was in her head but she truly didn't know herself.

I ran to the shed, Seth was standing inside, his hands in his hair, growling softly. His eyes were wild, his breathing labored.

"Give us a minute please?" I asked Alice and Jasper and when they'd made their way out of the tiny shed I went to Seth. "Seth? What is it son?" I asked cautiously. His thoughts were in total disarray. He was seething, that much was obvious. "Seth." I coaxed again.

"We have to hurry." He announced sternly, his baby face suddenly seeming older than his 15 years.

"I know. We'll find the baby Seth." I told him with as much confidence as I could muster, though I didn't yet believe that myself.

"Bella, she's my friend." He muttered as he turned round and round looking at the carnage in the dingy room. The makeshift bed where Bella had laid, her scent was all over it. The smeared fluids possibly from Bella, possibly from the baby.

"I know she is Seth. She's with Carlisle, he'll do all that he can. You should go to the house, be with her for a bit. We'll find the baby, bring it home." I suggested carefully. I knew he'd resist that.

"She." He mumbled quietly. "She's mine…" He trailed off.

I cocked my head and stared at him. I knew that look. He was no longer speaking about Bella. About her being his friend. He'd not trailed off at all. His statement was clear and it had ended where he intended it to end. The baby was a girl and she was his. I had a daughter and from her scent alone she was Seth's.

**BPOV**

"Please just stay here quietly for a little bit longer Bella. Your wound is looking good but I have no idea if it will hold yet. Look." Carlisle was pleading with me to stay lying on the table for a little longer. He pulled aside the gown and I leaned on my elbows to look over at my stomach.

I gasped when I saw that it was once again totally flat. I ran my hand over it and mourned the loss of him. There would never be another rolling sensation, another kick. He was gone. She was gone. Would I ever know which it was?

I could feel the rigid line where Carlisle had closed the wound with his venom. It no longer burned but there was a slight ache to it as I pressed my fingertips to it gingerly. Even as I lay there I could feel it healing further. The deep furrow was flattening out under my touch. The burn was starting to abate now. I had more energy, I was no longer so tired.

"Half an hour." I rasped out and Carlisle nodded tersely. "That's all, then I'm going to help search."

"Done." He agreed.

I'd give him half an hour of healing and then I was gone, out there, searching with the rest.


	63. Chapter 63

Chapter 63 Value

**EPOV**

I was loath to split up the pack and the groups and head off on more false trails. The longer it took us to locate our two remaining foe the less chance there was that we would.

"Alice, Jasper, go as far as you need to until you are no longer blocked by the wolves. I need your eyes Alice. If you can find where they are headed I need to know." She ran to me, kissed me on the cheek and then they were gone.

I sent Esme, Leah and Paul back to the house. With Bella there now they'd need extra protection in case James and Victoria decided to finish the job properly.

They all wanted to protest but I could tell that Esme had had enough of the carnage for one day, she needed to be with Bella now. I needed her to be with Bella now.

Sam sent Embry back to the Rez. Sue, Renee and the tribal elders would need an update and as much as the wolves could communicate long distance, Sam felt a physical presence would reassure the women more than merely word from the battlefield, as it were. I was inclined to agree. An increased guard at the Rez was also a strategic necessity. The day was fast coming to its end and the Rez' population soared after dark as its occupants flooded home from work and school outside the protective enclosure.

And that left five of us. Rose, Emmett, Sam, Seth and me.

I turned to Seth first, I knew what his answer was going to be but it was ultimately up to Sam, as his Alpha, as to whether or not Seth could come with us. "Seth, are you up to this son? Nobody will think less of you if you aren't, or can't." The three others were wondering what the hell I was on about, I was thankful that they just left me with Seth for a moment. He slowly looked up at me with pleading eyes and asked me silently not to send him away. I nodded my agreement and then turned to Sam. "Seth wishes to stay with me, I'll take full responsibility for him."

"Done. Tell us what you need." Sam said.

I read from Rose that she'd not be separated from Emmett again today so I linked those two together with Sam. I knew that Seth needed to be with me. I'd not said anything to anyone about the revelations I'd been privy to inside the shed and whilst Seth now seemed calmer, more his usual self, I could tell that on the inside his rage was only building.

"There are three scents that lead from here. They've split up. I don't know if James is actually traveling with the baby, the two scents are interlaced, but they've had time to set up a ruse. Laurent is no more so that cancels out his trail. Whose do you want to follow?" I asked the other group.

They looked, from one to the other, "Victoria." They said in unison.

"Done." I announced. "That leaves us with James. Keep in touch." And then we were running.

**BPOV**

"Times up Carlisle." I announced, pushing the stupid gown down over my hips and sitting up on my elbows.

I winced a little when I got to a half sitting position and he shook his head.

"Please. Let me call Alice or Edward, find out what's going on." He begged.

I was sitting on the edge of the table when Esme burst in through the front door. She strode right to where I was and folded me into her arms. Our sobs came in ragged bursts. Just as mine would subside she'd step back a little, our eyes would meet and we'd begin sobbing again.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know." She began to whimper as she clung to me.

"It's okay, I was dumb." I confessed, not wanting her to blame herself.

"They'll find her." She said in a hoarse whisper and I choked.

"Her?" I yelled. "The baby, it's a girl?" How could she know that? Has she seen the baby?

Esme smiled then. A wide smile lit her entire face. She brushed a stray hair back off my face and patted my cheek. "Yes darling girl, you have a daughter."

"How? How do you know that? Where is she? Have you seen her?" I pled.

"Seth told us, I don't know how he knew, he just did." Esme scrunched up her face as she thought about that.

**EPOV**

Rose was seething as her group began to run away from the shed. She was completely incensed that someone would take away the only chance any of us had of ever nurturing a child. I wanted to remind her that it was also Victoria and James' only chance, but I seemed to have misplaced my benevolence.

My siblings mental voices faded from me as Seth and I ran towards town. I was getting more and more sure that James had the baby with him. Its scent – her scent, I had a baby girl – was growing stronger as we followed it. It was maturing, losing the sweetness and acquiring a more vampiric taste and flavour.

As Seth and I came to the edge of town we slowed. Seth returned to his human form and we made our way across the streets as if we were enjoying a late afternoon stroll. Of course that left us out of touch with the other group, but it was unavoidable because James' scent walked clean through the centre of town.

"Ready son?" I asked Seth as we came to the tree line at the far end of the towns main street. I knew he'd be bombarded with information the instant he phased. He nodded and tore off into the trees. I ran to where he now stood. He was telling Sam where we were, that the scent was still strong and that James more than likely had the baby with him.

Sam was replying in agreement. Victoria's scent was still strong, she was running towards the sea as Laurent had, they were very close to her now. As Sam was relaying this Rosie gave the call.

Through Seth's connection with his Alpha I could watch events unfold as Seth saw it through Sam's eyes.

Victoria was alone, that meant the baby was with James as we'd suspected. I was relieved to know they now had the upper hand, out numbering her.

Victoria was a skilled evader, not a skilled fighter. Her talents lie in her ability to run from her attacker, not in staying and fighting. They'd tracked her far further north than I thought they'd need to go to get a crack at her. She was fast, very fast. Emmett and Sam had fallen slightly behind but that suited Rose. This would give her a chance to corner her and the two boys could back her up once she had Victoria pinned in somewhere. The opportunity arose soon after.

Seth whined as he saw from Sam that Victoria had sprinted on ahead over a high ridge and then dropped down over it before Rose had a chance to scale it on her side. Rose had dropped down the other side but like Victoria, Rose had found herself hemmed in on three sides. Luckily for her Rose had dropped down in the only place Victoria could have effectively run through to escape. Seth barked lightly and I smiled smugly as Victoria came to realize she was trapped.

Seth and I concentrated hard on Sam's visual as both he and Emmett came to the top of the ridge. Rose called to them to stay there, in case Victoria tried to flee via the top lip. Sam began to stalk along the western ridge, Emmett was hissing and snarling along the eastern side. Victoria was trapped, and as the realization hit her she began to pace. In direct contrast to Victoria's panic the situation became clearer to Sam and he began to calm, his thoughts slowing to their regular pace. He knew Rose had the situation under control.

Rose slipped low into her crouch, baring her teeth and snarling at the terrified Victoria. Out numbered, out classed, out run.

'_You'll never find that baby if you kill me.' _Victoria bargained with Rose.

'_James has the baby and Edward has James. You're no longer required.'_ Rose said matter of factly out through gritted teeth.

Rose wasn't like Esme, she didn't need time to rationalize what she was about to do. That gave Victoria only had a fraction of a second with which to come to terms with what Rose had said before Rose lunged. Victoria fell against the rocks and Seth howled loudly as we both watched her head roll away from her body.

'_That's two fuckers down.' _Seth thought, as Paul had before him and I gave his massive furry shoulder a squeeze in agreement.

As purple flames rose out from between the two raised ridges away to the north Seth and I raced along the scented trail left by James.

My cell phone beeped and I answered it on the run. "What have you got?" I asked Alice.

"He's heading for Port Angeles. His scent will end at the dock, the ferry terminal. He wants you to think he's masking his scent by getting on the ferry, going across the water. But he's busy laying trails all over the place. Call back when you get there. We're heading there now." And the line went dead.

"Tell Sam, Port Angeles, the dock. As fast as they can get there." I told Seth who coughed out a bark of recognition.

And so we kept running.

Two minutes from the waters edge I phoned Alice. "Two minutes." I told her.

"He's got a car stashed somewhere, I cant make out details. I can't see the baby very clearly, she's not full vampire. But she's fine. He won't hurt her because she's important to Victoria." Alice huffed in frustration. "He's sure you're going to think he's on that ferry, but he's holed up somewhere with her. He'll wait till full dark then double back in the car for Laurent and Victoria. He doesn't know they're gone." She said.

Ok, so we'll have the element of surprise, but I had no idea where he actually was. If he managed to hang out till dark he could very well slip away in a car and I'd never find them. I had no idea where their rendezvous point was to be, so waiting there in ambush was a no go too. We were once again blind.

"We'll follow his scent as far as we can, hurry Alice." I begged and she told me she was only twenty minutes behind us.

So Seth and I made to wait. Rose, Emmett and Sam came along in due time, each elated at their part in the end of Victoria.

I told Sam all I could about Alice' vision and he agreed that the ambush would've worked best had we known where to be and when.

In the end we decided to spread out along the edge of the ferry terminal. We'd try to isolate James' scent, or the babies, and follow each trail to its logical conclusion, hoping to find his waiting place. His scent stopped abruptly at the ferry terminal dock but then it fanned out in dozens of spokes, all emanating from that central point. If we had a few hours to spare until dark we could've explored each arc, but we didn't.

We each followed the most recent trails but came up empty as each one came to a dead end. Fuck he was good at this.

As the dark descended and there was no sign of Alice or Jasper I began to panic slightly. I may have already missed my chance. And then my phone rang again.

"What?" I barked.

"I saw it while we were running so we're staying away." She told me. It was a good idea. With Seth and Sam in tow if she came too close to us her visions would cease and we'd be totally blind. "It's a gardeners shed. There are tools in it, a grass mower and a tin of gas. I can't see where though Edward." She told me.

"Okay Alice. Keep looking. I'll call if I find anything." And I rang off.

I told the others what we were looking for but for all we knew that shed could be anywhere. A suburban backyard, a school, a handy mans tool shed. It was a needle in a haystack.

So we spread out again. I told them all to stay within at least a three-mile radius so I could hear their mental voices. There was no way the wolves could phase here to keep communications open.

Radiating outward, using the ferry terminal as our start point again, we began searching the immediate area for anything that even slightly resembled a garden shed. I'd not gone two hundred yards from the terminal when I heard it.

'_Not mine…not mine…wrong smell…not mine…not my beautiful momma…'_ it took me a few seconds to process what I'd just heard and to decide whether or not it was relevant.

I roared into the night sky as the pieces came together. Within seconds the entire group was stood around me, all anxious for whatever news I could share about my loud bellow.

I wasn't hearing James, I was hearing my daughter!

She'd remembered that I'd called her mother beautiful over and over, she knew Bella's smell. She was marking the different between James' scent and Bella's. She knew his was wrong. She was okay though, she wasn't terrified, she just knew James was wrong.

Emmett barked at me to hurry the fuck up with the information and I let a slow smile come across me face. "She's close." I told them and Rose whimpered in relief. "I can hear her thoughts." I told them and Seth began to growl lightly within his chest. I watched with interest as Rose and Emmett turned to Seth.

"What's his deal?" Emmett asked but I shook my head. I needed for Bella to hear that before they did. But first I had to find my child.

"So she has to be within three miles of here, right?" Sam was all business.

"Right." I agreed. "Can you smell her?" I asked Seth but he shook his head, no. "Okay, fan out again. Stay close, if I hear her again I'll call."

Ranging out from that point we moved quickly through the streets searching. Two streets away Seth picked up her scent, mixed with James', and called loudly into the night. I heard him clearly because I was also privy to his thoughts and I hoped the others had heard him too.

I raced to where he now stood, head down looking over his feet as he waited for us to all converge. I took a long pull around me and isolated the very feint hint of my child's scent. I checked over Seth and was stunned to know that he could pick her scent out much, much easier than I could already. God, what would Bella think of all this?

I had no time to ponder that because just then Rose and Emmett rounded the corner and came to a stop beside us. Sam came from the opposite direction and did as Seth did, dipping his head slightly, looking at his feet and marking the scent.

"Quickly and quietly." I reminded them and then we moved off, in a line, following her scent, not his.

Sixty feet from the council maintenance shed I put an arm out and stopped the group. I nodded towards the shed that stood in the middle of a suburban park. I looked from face to face and everyone nodded in acknowledgement.

'_Silently, fast, element of surprise.' _Rose chanted and I touched her lightly on her arm, when she looked up at me I nodded in agreement with her assessment.

'_I'll go to the back, he won't go far if he runs.' _Emmett waited to tell me this until I had finished my silent conversation with Rose. Thank god we all knew each other so well.

I desperately wanted to give instructions to Seth and Sam but they were consummate fighters and they knew exactly what an advantage we'd have if we kept silent from here on in. Sam told me that he would stick by Emmett, having guessed Emmett would take a proactive stance and would be enlisted to block any signs of escape. I nodded in agreement and that left me with Seth.

Raising my finger to my lips I implored Seth to stay as quiet as possible. I put a hand on his shoulder to calm him, his breathing had accelerated to such a level that James may have been able to prepare for our approach simply from the sound of Seth's heart pounding.

He drew in a deep breath, stretched from head to toe and I instantly heard the calm overtake him. It was as if Jasper had just arrived. I ranged my hearing out around me just in case he had. But he had not.

Seth nodded to me to let me know he was ready and then we began to move towards the shed.

The baby was confused and disoriented. She was chanting 'not mine not mine' over and over and my heart broke for her rising panic. In the vague hope that she could hear me, as Bella was able to, I told her over and over that I was here, that I would be with her in a few short moments and that she was safe. I told her I loved her and that nothing would happen to her, I promised her she'd see her beautiful momma soon.

We broke up as we came to within ten feet of the shed. Emmett and Sam went to the rear and the three of us went to the door. It was flimsy, as these sheds usually were. And from James' thoughts I knew he knew we were there. Of course he'd be able to smell us now, but if we were silent he'd have no idea what we were planning to do.

It was a good thing we had no idea what we were planning to do because he had no chance to prepare and we had no chance to over think our actions.

With a brief nod to Rose we both placed our hands either side of the door and with a single shove we burst into the little room.

It was totally dark of course but that didn't hinder the three of us at all. We could see as well in the dark as we could in bright sunlight. The only difference was the coloring was altered.

James was crouched in the middle of the shed, my baby in his lap, with various tools and machinery around him. He knew he was blocked in, his only route to freedom was through two very, very angry vampires and an adolescent male.

His thoughts told me the male was his best bet, he pegged Seth as the weakest link.

"Don't bother, he's full blooded wolf." I told him smugly.

I took a moment to check over the baby. She was plump and her lips were the same lovely blush rose red of her mothers. She had a mop of curly copper hair, her eyes were clear and bright and she recognized me instantly, much to my delighted shock. '_Mine…mine…mine…mine…_' she chanted desperately, pushing her tiny fisted hands out in front of her, clutching towards me.

"It's okay baby girl, we'll have you to your momma in a few minutes." I told the stunningly beautiful baby. She smiled at me. She fucking smiled at me! A row of tiny pearly white teeth showing out from under her rosy lips.

Rose sucked in a stunned breath and began to run over how lucky I was to have a connection with this child already. I needed for her, and for me, to return to the task at hand before we could allow ourselves the pleasure of learning about the baby.

To shock Rose back to the present I snarled angrily at James. "I'd offer to call them off if you hand me my daughter, but you and I both know I won't do that."

He twisted his lips into a sneer, "Fuck you Cullen. I'm holding all the cards." He snorted with derision.

"Oh really? How so James?" I used his name and watched the shock cloud across his face.

'_How do you know who I am?'_ He wondered as he further assessed his situation.

'_I'm here Edward. I can't see what's going to happen, but we're here.' _Alice told me from somewhere outside.

"If I don't show up at the meeting point Vikki will kill your mate." James laughed loudly, startling the baby and making her wail.

Rose tensed, ready to pounce but I held her off with my forearm. "It's okay baby girl. Please don't cry. Its okay." I attempted to soothe the struggling infant. James clutched her closer to his chest, holding her steady with his hand around her chest, tucking her arms back into her blanket so she couldn't reach for me as she had been. Her thoughts still came to me though. I told her again that everything was okay and that she'd soon be with her beautiful momma. She only knew Bella as 'beautiful momma' because that's who I'd always told the baby she was.

"Laurent is ready to fight your coven if I don't arrive. So you see, Cullen, this isn't something you can win. I've got the baby, Vikki has your woman, and Laurent has your family. So I'll just be walking right out that door." He nodded behind us.

Emmett snarled from outside and Jasper hissed.

"Calm down." I told them. "We all know that's just not true James. You see, oh I'm sorry, how rude of me, I've not introduced you to everyone. This is my sister, Rosalie. Rose this is James, he's the mate to that piece of shit you tore apart at the northern border just now."

"How do?" Rose used Jasper's southern inflection on the Texan greeted just as James began to snarl at us.

"You're fucking lying. She's got your woman. You touch me and that bitch dies." He snarled, baring his teeth.

"No, see, I don't think so James. My _wife_ is at home with my family. She'll be healed by now. On the other hand, your mate is now a pile of smoldering ash somewhere out there in the forest." I chuckled.

"You're fucking lying." He screeched, making the baby jump in fright and begin crying again. I told the baby to hush, that she needed to be quiet so we could take her off the horrible man. She calmed and blinked rapidly, all the while telling me that she could do that for me. I was truly stunned.

Rose was at the edge of her limit and Seth was already over his. It was only my arm out in front of him that stopped him from lunging. James shifted higher from his crouch, cradling the baby like a football along his midsection. He looked down at her and I knew his view of her was changing. If Victoria was truly gone what value did the child hold?

"Would I have begged off the hunt, taken all of them away from it to come here, if she was still out there James? Do you really think I'd leave her untouched and come for you? No James. Victoria is gone. And your nest mate too. My mother and brother took care of that themselves, right Em?"

"Fucker fought like a chick." Emmett called insidiously from the back of the park.

James roared his frustration and pain into the air. It reverberated around the shed like a bullet. The baby was crying furiously now, her pink cheeks flushed with the effort. I had no time to ask her to hush this time.

James was trying to decide what he wanted most. The baby or a crack at us. As his thoughts shifted from one to the other I began to see more clearly that the baby only held value to him because it was what Victoria wanted, without her he wanted no part of the baby in his arms.

"NOW!" I bellowed at Rose and Seth as James flung the baby away from himself. She landed with a sickening thud on the cold cement floor as James lunged at me.

I allowed him to force me out of the shed and back out the door. I had the merest glimpse of Rose and Seth resuming their stance with the baby cradled in Rose' arms.

"Home Rose, fast as you can." Alice shouted and Rose took off with the baby.

James and I fell backwards, him on my chest snapping and snarling into my face. I pushed him off with ease. He was so angry at the loss of his mate he wasn't thinking about this fight, he was already grieving.

A grieving mate does not a fighter make.

I sprang back to my feet and faced him square on. Jasper, Alice and Emmett closed in nearer to us in case he ran, I was happy to inform them he had no intention of doing so. Sam came to Seth and held him off at the edge of the fight.

He slipped lower into his crouch, flared his lips and licked his teeth. His venom was foul. He'd not bathed in months, he was feral. He was also lethal within his anger. He clenched his fists beside him and prepared to lunge again.

I read it from him, which direction he'd go, and easily stepped aside as he flew past me. He turned, so fast his movement was an invisible blur, even to me, and he came at me again. He swung wildly with his forearm hoping to catch me mid chest and bring me back to the ground. No such luck, I'd read it too fast. I sidestepped his pass once again and as he made to turn I caught his right shoulder with my left hand. His arm flew backward slightly and I gripped it by the wrist with my right. With my hand braced on his shoulder and one at his wrist I made a slight adjustment to my stance and pulled. His arm came off and as his furious agonized scream floated across the park I threw his twitching limb aside.

He whirled and snarled again, his wide eyes flicking from me to where his arm lay, his fingers still dancing on the hard ground.

He'd not learnt his lesson, however, and he made another attempt to come at me. This time I stood stock still, braced myself with my feet and calves and let him come. I had a split second to see how he was going to go about this. The idiot decided to duck his head and pummel into me with it. So as his head collided with my chest and sternum I used the strength in my hips and shoulders to push down on his upper body, the force of my movement forcing him to the ground on his face. I put my boot to the back of his neck and held onto his one remaining arm with a hand.

"Go back to hell where you belong fucker." I shouted as I slid my hand under his chin and pulled his head clean off his twitching body.

"Home Edward, go." Alice bellowed at me.

I looked around, completely lost in what I'd just done. Emmett was smiling widely, Sam was beaming. Jasper was already gathering up the pieces and Seth was helping, pulling the twitching body back towards the shed and out of the bright light cast from the streetlamps.

Alice came to me and put a hand on my shoulder. "Go Edward, go home. They need you there." She whispered. I blinked hard, unable to take in what she was saying. She bought her hand to my face and smoothed back my hair a little. "Edward, I can't see Bella or the baby with the wolves near them. You need to go home to do what you can for them." She told me sternly as I came back to the surface.

And then I was running.

**BPOV**

Since Alice had called to say they'd found James and that Edward was with Sam, Emmett, Rose and Seth I'd let them convince me to stay at the house for a little longer. That 'little longer' had now expired.

I refused to do nothing, I couldn't sit and wait. I could help this time and I would.

I was just getting down from the table when Carlisle stiffened. "Listen." He told me, putting a hand on my shoulder and pressing me back slightly.

I could hear the running footsteps but had no idea who it was that was fast approaching. "Who?" I asked the assembled group.

There was no way to know who it was because Alice was with Edward, we had no early warning system with both of them gone.

"Stay inside." Carlisle nodded at Esme and she came to sit beside me on the table, taking my hand into hers.

I watched, not breathing, while Carlisle and Paul went to the front door. The steps were getting louder, they were almost a blur they were traveling so fast across the ground.

"Listen." Carlisle yelled as he stuck his head back in through the open door, a huge smile on his face.

The only sound in the house as we all listened was Charlie's thundering heartbeat.

And then I heard it.

Another.

Its beat was like that of a hummingbird, fluttering so fast. It was a heartbeat.

I smelled Rose first. As she burst in through the doors, Carlisle and Paul behind her, I smelled the tiny bundle in her arms.

She was carrying my daughter.

**EPOV**

'_Sam and I will stay here, we'll wait a few hours.' _Emmett was thinking.

They'd take the body parts out into the forest and burn it. Thank god.

I was running so fast I made it home in record time.

The house was quiet as I approached and I panicked for a split second, wondering what I'd find when I got inside.

'_Mine…mine…mine…mine…' _I heard in the dainty little mental voice I'd heard in the shed and I knew the baby was fine.

I threw the front door clean off its hinges as I thundered my way into the house.

The assembled crowd parted as I strode straight through them into the living room. I found Carlisle, he was sat on the sofa, Esme beside him. He stood when I got to him.

"Upstairs." Was all he said and then I was flying up the staircase to our room.

Another door crashed to the floor as I flung it open. The sight that greeted me rocked me to my core.

Bella was sitting up in our bed with our tiny daughter cradled carefully in her arms.

The smile she gave me as I came in was radiant. She glowed.

Thank god. She was whole. She had the blanket pulled up to her middle so I had no idea what sort of shape she was actually in and I couldn't bring myself to ask. I hoped she'd read the question and just tell me she was all right. When she didn't I flinched. 'Bella, tell me you're okay.' I demanded in my thoughts. Bella remained passively unaware as she gazed down at the tiny sleeping form in her arms.

She couldn't read me.

What was wrong with her?

"Come and see your daughter Edward." She whispered, rubbing her thumb across the forehead of the snuffling infant.

I crossed the room and sunk to my knees beside the bed. I put my hands flat on the mattress, unsure whether or not I could touch her, wondering what shape she was in. She slightly parted the pink blanket that held our child and I got my first serious look at the angel within it.

"She's beautiful." I whispered.

"She is." Bella agreed.

The baby's lips parted slightly as she exhaled and I drank in her scent. It was so like Bella's now. Sweet. It was obvious that she was part human but her blood didn't induce any discomfort in me and it obviously wasn't a problem for Bella either. I watched, fascinated, as my child slept on in my wife's arms. Her tiny pale lavender lids shifted as her eyes danced beneath them. She was dreaming.

Her thoughts were quiet but I could still read them. Colours. Bright colours danced through her brain as she slept on, unaware of the pivotal moment unfolding around her.

"Mine." I whispered involuntarily.

Bella took her hand away from the baby and put it to my cheek. The electric shock, ever present, stung slightly as I startled from her touch. I looked up into her smiling face. "Yes Edward. Ours." She whispered.

"Thank you." I muttered and turned my lips into her palm and kissed her lightly as I inhaled.

"Thank you." She whispered in return.


	64. Chapter 64

Chapter 64 Renesmee

**BPOV**

Edward slipped into the bed beside me and we were totally quiet for a long, long time, just watching the sleeping angel between us.

I'd lowered the baby onto the mattress between us, not wanting to hog her all to myself. I knew from Renee that new dads sometimes felt left out of the budding relationship between mother and child, so I was careful to share her.

She was still naked in the little blanket so when we were totally sure she was sleeping as soundly as possible we unwrapped her. We checked she had all her perfect pink toes and all her stubby little fingers. Her fat little belly rose and fell with her breaths making us smile at each other across her sleeping form.

We wrapped her back up to keep her warm, her heart beat so she'd be able to feel cold or heat, although we didn't know yet if either would affect her.

When she was once again swathed in the pink blanket Edward ran a hand over my cheek. "I love you Isabella. Are you well?" He asked with a trembling voice.

I smiled as widely as I could, "I love you too Edward. I am well. Completely." I nodded so he'd know that I really was okay.

"And your wound?" He asked hesitantly.

I lifted the covers off myself and shuffled until I could slide the hem of the gown up far enough to show him the tiny pink line across my abdomen. It had faded to almost nothing in the hours I'd laid on the table downstairs waiting. Carlisle theorized that it would disappear completely over the next day or two.

Edward reached across our sleeping baby and traced the jagged line with the tip of his finger. The surge of desire that ran through me shocked me. I wasn't prepared to feel that so soon after having had the baby. We'd not thought this far ahead. To wonder what would come next, with us, after the baby was actually born. I knew that Edward had resisted having to think about it. And then I gasped.

Edward startled and rose up onto his elbows.

"What is it?" His eyes were darting around the room looking for the next danger point to come at us.

I hung my head to whisper, "I can't hear you."

"I asked what was wrong love. I don't smell or hear anything. What do you hear, smell?" He asked, preparing to get back out of the bed.

I took a deep breath. "No Edward. That's not what I mean. I can't hear you anymore. It was her, I could hear you because of the baby." I sobbed, already missing that connection I had to him.

A sweet smile came across his face as he processed what I'd said. "Well then, I guess we're back on an even footing then, aren't we darling?" He laughed lightly.

"I guess we are." I mumbled. "Did you really hate it that much then?" I wondered out loud.

"No, not really. But I must admit I am happy you can't read me anymore. I'll be able to surprise you again. You won't have to listen to me worry. And I'll be able to hide some of these entirely inappropriate lust filled thoughts I'm having." He chuckled.

**EPOV**

Well, well, well. She couldn't read me anymore!

I was only just pushing down my excitement over that when I realized what that might mean. If all along Bella's ability to read me was because of the baby did that mean that the baby could now hear me?

Oh fuck!

I leapt off the bed in such a hurry that both my girls startled. Bella flinched and the baby stirred. Bella soothed her by rubbing her curls and soon she was snuffling softly again.

Bella looked up at me with pleading eyes. "What if she can read me?" I hissed softly. "That will be a hundred times worse."

"Why?" Bella giggled.

"Because I can't think the things I'm thinking about you when a tiny baby can hear and understand me, can I?" I said through gritted teeth.

Understanding dawned on Bella's face and she grimaced. "Okay, well don't panic, we don't know for sure if she can, do we?" She was, as always, the voice of reason. "Edward, we can't keep calling her 'she', we need to give her a name." She said softly, turning back to the baby and stroking her hair again.

I went back to the bed and sat down beside Bella. I took her hand into mine and rolled her rings through my fingers. It never ceased to calm me, having that tangible evidence that Bella was mine. "I guess we do. Any thoughts?" I asked.

"Some." Bella admitted but didn't say what they were. I watched as she scooped the tiny sleeping bundle up off the bed and cradled her again in her arms.

She held her out towards me and deposited her into my waiting arms.

I gazed down at her, marveling at her beauty. I was holding my daughter, my own flesh and blood, in my arms for the very first time. I couldn't put voice to how it felt. There were no words to say that could describe it.

I felt her stir slightly and I held my breath to see what she'd do. Her thoughts were coming to her faster now and I realized she as about to wake up. A slight panic overcame me as I toyed with whether or not to hand her back to Bella.

I watched, fascinated, as her dream changed from swirling colors to shapes. As she came back to consciousness her dream changed again.

I clearly saw Bella's face, then Carlisle's, as he looked her over. She registered the others in the room at the time as they crowded around and looked down at her. But the face that was clearest was mine. I gasped. She knew me. She knew I was the one who'd gotten her away from James, although she only registered James as being 'wrong'. I saw, through her eyes, as she 'met' me for the first time other than only as a voice. She recalled how she'd struggled in James' arms; how she hoped if she held her arms out I'd take her from him.

I looked to Bella who was watching me with wide eyes. "She knows me." I told her. "She knows you. She loves you, she adores you actually." I told her and she smiled.

"Of course she knows you Edward. You've talked to her everyday since we knew she was in there. Hell she knows all about you, remember?" She asked.

I'd spent hours talking to her when Bella rested or slept. Of course I had no idea she was a she at the time, it didn't really matter to me. I told her all about myself and her mother, our family and our friends. I could see from her thoughts that she knew us, already.

Her little lids fluttered once, twice, then she opened her eyes and I was faced with a pair of gorgeous chocolate brown eyes the exact shade her mothers had been when she was human. "They're yours." I mumbled.

"What?" Bella whispered, moving towards me and leaning over to look down at our child as I held her. "Oh." She gasped when the baby turned her face to see her and she could see for herself what I meant. Bella stroked her curls and the baby sighed contentedly. "And this is yours." Bella whispered as she fingered the springy curl once more.

"Poor little thing." I chuckled.

"Hush." Bella admonished me playfully. "I love your hair Edward. She'll love it too."

The baby began wriggling around and I loosened the blanket to let her arms free. As soon as she could she moved her tiny hand to Bella and I watched in awe as the little fingers reached towards her mother, touching her lightly on her chin. Bella leapt a foot in the air a few seconds later and I was left wondering what had happened.

"I saw myself Edward. And Carlisle. What was that?" She was panting hard, frightened.

"What do you mean? When she touched you, you saw things?" I was beginning to connect some dots. I reached down with my free hand and took her tiny fist in my hand. I leant over her and bent my head far enough down so that I could put her hand to my cheek. To me it was just as if I was reading her thoughts, as I had when she was coming out of her dream state. But I knew what it was. "Bella, let her touch you again love, don't be frightened."

I looked down at the tiny baby and asked her to please show her mother again. A perfect row of snow-white milk teeth greeted me as the baby smiled. Bella shuddered visibly at the sight. I laughed. Of course the baby had teeth. She had a unique ability, she knew who we were, she could scent mark and she would grow fast. Why wouldn't she have teeth? I couldn't help but laugh louder.

I leaned away a little and watched as the baby moved her hand towards Bella once again. As she touched Bella's cheek Bella's eyes flew to mine. Her mouth formed a little 'o' and then she smiled. "That's her, showing me that?" She asked incredulously.

The baby had just replayed the last half a minute to her mother. As plain as day she showed Bella me smiling down at her and herself smiling back up at me. Then my facial expression when I'd seen her little teeth.

"It was indeed my love. It seems she has a talent all of her own. Quite apart from being so beautiful, of course." I leaned down and nuzzled her little face. She smelled so wonderful. A curious mix of the two, human and vampire. Her skin was perfectly pale, though not as pale as ours. She was perfect.

"She needs a name." Bella said again.

"Tell me your thoughts." I insisted.

"Renesmee." She whispered and I quirked an eyebrow. It wasn't a name I'd ever heard before and I wondered if Alice had found it in one of her confounded baby names books. I didn't get a chance to ask before Bella continued, "Renee and Esme. Renesmee. R-E-N-E-S-M-E-E. Ruh-nez-may." She spelled it out and then said it phonetically.

"Renesmee." I tried it out and the little teeth below me came out as she smiled. She clasped her tiny fist and moved it towards me. "Show your mother." I chuckled, having already seen what she wanted to show me.

The tiny girl turned her fist to her mother and Bella, already getting used to this game, took it and pressed it against her own cheek. The baby replayed her name falling first from her mothers lips and then from mine. She liked it. She already loved both Renee and Esme and she _wanted_ it to be her name. Bella just gasped and looked at me with wide eyes.

"Renesmee." She whispered.

**BPOV**

I heard Alice approach and knew our privacy was done for now. It was never going to be enough time anyway, no matter how long they gave us to be alone and discover our daughter for the first time.

When the knock came neither of us was surprised. There was no door left so she was just standing in the frame where it used to be.

"Come in Alice." I told her.

She came in quietly and then she stood and looked at the scene before her. Edward with his new daughter in his arms and me leaned over watching them both. "You look so happy. Is everything okay?" She asked.

"We are happy Alice, and yeah, everything's fine." Edward told her.

"I know you're never going to want to come down and share her, but the wolves need to go back to the Rez and your mother's arrived and well, we just want to meet her too." She pouted prettily.

"It's okay Alice. Let me get changed and we'll bring her down." I told her as she began to hop from foot to foot and clapped her hands excitedly.

"Five minutes Alice." Edward said sternly and she backed out of the doorway.

I patted Renesmee's curls once more and then got up to change. I threw the putrid hospital gown into the trash bin beside our desk and went into the bathroom to wash up. I didn't have time for a shower but I would've loved to have had one. The shack had been horribly dirty and James and Victoria were hardly clean, although Laurent was dressed impeccably. They made a very, very strange trio. I hadn't given them a thought at all since Rose had bought the baby to me.

I went back into our room and stood behind Edward. I put my hand on his shoulder and watched him as he cooed at the baby for a few moments. "Edward." I whispered.

"Yes love." He answered quietly.

"What happened to them?"

"It's done Isabella. That's an end to it, it's done." Was all he said and I knew they'd not be coming near our family or me again. The details were just details. It was done.

**EPOV**

"Should we dress her love?" I asked as Bella made ready to go downstairs.

Another blast of white-hot desire flooded my system as I watched her dress. I was so torn between being appropriate with the baby with us and wanting to be the vampire I was and celebrate, rather carnally, todays victory with my mate.

Bella chose for me when she came and sat beside me on the bed. "Let's just take her down as she is. I have no idea where anything is here and I don't want it turning into a 'lets dress the baby' thing for Alice. Let them fawn over her for a bit and then we can sort out the rest."

Right. I'd be Renesmee's dad for now. And later…later.

"Okay love." I told her and handed Renesmee into her waiting arms. I put an arm around her waist and walked them downstairs to meet the family.

When we got to the last landing, the entire house stilled and quieted.

They all stood. Everyone was there. Charlie and Renee stood beside Carlisle and Esme. Rose and Emmett were stood beside Sam and beyond them were Alice and Jasper. The entire pack stood a little off to one side, Sue Clearwater among them.

I kept my arm firmly around Bella's waist and I bought us to a stop on the second to last stair. "We'd like to introduce you to our daughter. Everyone, this is Renesmee Carlie Masen Cullen."

A cheer went up and Bella took the last step and was quickly folded into the crowd as everyone milled around to get a look at the beauty in her mothers arms.

I stood on the steps, looking for Seth.

I found him sitting on the ottoman. Head in his hands. He was shaking from head to toe and when he lifted his eyes as I came to stand before him I could see how confused and exhausted he really was.

I moved closer and put my hand on his shoulder. "Seth, son, it's all right. I'll help you." I told him. I knew the agony of what he was feeling. I knew how the rest of his life was going to pan out, I knew the frustration, the pain, and the waiting he was about to embark on.

He lifted his head, stared me in the eye. "Renesmee," he whispered reverently, "She's mine."

I nodded solemnly.

The only sound in the house after that was a quiet sob from Isabella.

* * *

**A/N: A big thank you to all who have read and reviewed. I hope you have found something of interest in my story. **

**I have a third book planned, but am unsure of exact details as yet. I wrote these two in fairly quick succession, a grand total of eleven weeks for 700,000 words, so I'm taking a little break. (At which point my family scoffed and promptly went out and bought me two new reams of paper, knowing full well i would begin the thrid book straight away, bloody families ;))**

**Thank you again for reading, kind regards, maxi xxx**


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